Thread: Ever Too Many?

You can thoroughly enjoy straight shaving with just one of all the essential items.

Although i TOTALLY understand the yearning for more, it's only natural to want to own things of beauty!!

If you have a bazillion razors etc, just make sure they get to encounter your fine beards once in a while!!

I'm in the early stages of a 12-step program - I've admitted that I have a problem and have begun to rectify the situtation.

Seriously, I've been at this for only a few months and, in that time, I have aquired the following:

5 barber's hones
Norton 4/8
Norton flattening stone
DMT fine diamond hone (for lapping barber's hones, of course!)
20 razors of various sizes/grinds (not counting the three I sold)
One brush (I already had three, but sold one so now have four in total).
Four hanging strops (have sold two)
Two pasted paddles (have sold one)
Four soaps (to add to the 15 I already had - I've sold some and got rid of others that didn't do it for me - but I still have about 12 soaps/creams in total).

Add to this the various aftershaves (6) and balms (5) and you can see there's been a lot of buying and precious little selling.

However, I've turned the corner and have decided that I'm going to pick the best 12 razors (not counting my Feather AC, which is my travel razor) and flog the rest. I'm also going to cull my soap collection and weed out anyting that I'm not crazy about before I buy any new soaps and creams.

I'm also going to get rid of some of the DEs and GEMs I don't use while I'm at it.

On the upside, having tried a variety of razors, I've established personal preferences and have a nice variety in my collection. Once I get down to my 12 razors, I'm only going to buy new ones on an in/out basis. I'll still look at e-bay and the FS posts, but I'll be doing less buying.

I think we all have different limits depending on where we want to go with this and how much $$ we have/want to spend.

To answer your question, you only need one of everything, the exception being razors, where I think you need at least two - I'm in the let the razor rest a day between shaves - and possibly a dedicated travel brush if you travel on a regular basis.

I agree with the general consensus, When you start out you only need one of everything, except razors, I think you need at least two, yes to let one rest. I do believe that for what ever reason you will find that one razor that is your favorite . Yes there is a point that you acquire things, when I started I only had one straight. I now own 10. I have been given a few by relatives, the rest I bought. Two Strops, one leather, one horse, and different hones soaps, and mugs(no creams). and other things. The secret I think has already been stated, When your significant other asks "DO YOU REALLY NEED THAT?" it may be time to stop, and re-evaluate.

Phil