Are you struggling with RAD or it's equivalent? Whats your story?

Im not really sure if my latest disorder can be called RAD or Razor Acquisition Disorder as although I browse and look at razors all the time, I'm more likely to take a punt on other shaving equipment / supplies.

I have been buying brushes scuttles, mugs, soaps, creams, aftershaves colognes as well as an antique washstand to house my new hobby. I have enough soap / cream to last me a year or more and enough scent to do the same.

This hobby certainly is not cheap.

I have voluntarily agreed with my wife that I will not buy anything else until I have saved for the set of hones I really want, which I could have bought a few times over if I had concentrated on the larger things instead of the multiple little things that ebay displays so well, damn you ebay!!!

Are you struggling with RAD or it's equivalent? Whats your story?

Well I'll just say that I may have suffered more than some, but less than others. Its subjective.

My story: When I started, all I wanted was one razor, a hone and a strop. Kept slicing my strops and discovered that not all strops are created equal. Settled on three now. I eventually figured out I needed a second straight to rest my first. Then I needed a 7 day set. But I needed to test a few to make sure the 7 I settled on, would be the ones I really wanted. Hones... well everyone knows that if you buy enough, you'll eventually find a magic hone. I don't even want to get into all the creams...

The one saving grace I guess is that I never got hooked on brushes. I have two. Alas, all of that was within a month of having had discovered wet shaving lol. Just joking but it might of well have been lol.

Inevitably I discovered that just like golf, buying more and more equipment isn't going to make me any better of a golfer. Actually the opposite is true. Sticking with a set of clubs and getting to know them is a better way to master the sport and enjoy the game. The same was/is true with straight razor shaving - for me at least.

I have no regrets having purchased all that I did. It's great fun and there is a place for everything! But I am actually slowly whittling down my collection. Buddy's have gotten my paddle strops, a barbers hone here and there, a blade here and a blade there... and so it goes.

I'll never get down to my initial plan of one strop, one razor, and one hone, but I am "mastering" much of what I have, and it feels great. Rest assured that I will buy more again - but as you note - it'll be much more selective.

Actually - I am really stoked as I look in my cabinet and see I am down to about 7 or 8 creams/aftershaves. I can't wait to only have three. I figure a mentholated for the crazy humid summers. Something rich and something "modern" and I'll be a happy camper.

Anyway - enjoy the ride - enjoy the richness of the history. Be true to yourself and you'll never regret a thing :).

I don't keep an eye on eBay a lot, but do check Marktplaats once a day. I bought three razors the last 4 or 5 months for a total of 30 euros or so, not that bad :) They include a 9/8" GB anchor and a NOS Fänger with some patina.

Hones are somehow very attractive to me. I started out with a coticule, switched to BBW and sold the coti, tried a Chinese natural, Rozsutec and cheap Jnat, got a DMT and full set of Shaptons and a vintage coticule. Another member here volunteered to hone two razors on his Oozuku and Nakayama and man, am I in love with that Oozuku edge! Sharper than I get off my Shapton 16K and with a tough beard, that's really pleasant.

Strops? Got one narrow Mühle. Nicked it often, sanded it down and while I want a big nice one, I'm always looking for other stuff. Same with brushes, got one when I started out and then bought a silvertip knot for which I turned a nice enough handle.

Workshop? Spent about as much on that as on the hones, saving up a band saw, belt sander, buffer, Dremel, jig saw, hand saw, coping saw, drill press and accessories in less than a year. I love doing restorations and turning brush handles (which I do on the buffing wheel, as I still need a lathe). I sold enough restored and modified razors to balance the money I spent on razors, but to balance out what I spent on the workshop and hones will require many many many more sales :p

Oh, soaps, I like soaps. I bought 3 and have 8, got 5 from a friend for whom I did a rescale. I am considering buying a few more, the ideal soap would be one that smells like Geo Trumper's Spanish Leather and lathers like MWF.

If misery loves company count me in too. The way I look at it is if you are enjoying the various Acquisition Disorders, not spending what you don't have on them and the family is not getting short changed it's all good. Enjoy the ride it will eventually taper off.

Bob