Thread: The cost of shaving!

Ok, most of the guys in this group aren't saving much money because they're collectors now , but if you consider the non-collector, the savings is significant and getting more so every time a new generation of disposable comes out. I started out for around $100, and I'm sure it would be safe to say that anyone could get into the game for less than $200 and not ever have to spend another cent for anything except soap.

I just think that the constant re-invention of the wheel with disposables is probably helping more and more people to go str8.

Originally Posted by joesixpack

Ok, most of the guys in this group aren't saving much money because they're collectors now , but if you consider the non-collector, the savings is significant and getting more so every time a new generation of disposable comes out. I started out for around $100, and I'm sure it would be safe to say that anyone could get into the game for less than $200 and not ever have to spend another cent for anything except soap.

I just think that the constant re-invention of the wheel with disposables is probably helping more and more people to go str8.

I don't agree on 200, maybe 300. I mean a Norton lets say $70 leather strop $65, badger brush $40, razor $65 shaving mug $20, Nice shaving soap $25. That's $285 and thats assuming a cheaper brush and razor.

I got into it for less:

Razor 15 euro's (had to hone it up still though)
Small Coticule: 20 euro's
Strop: 20 euro's
Brush (50/50 badger/boar) 5 euro's
Lather in the soap bowl
couple of euro's shaving sop, grand total:

60 euro's = $90 US or close to that.

Offcourse I have a bit more and luxurious now. But that'sthe minimum it cost me before I could get good shaves. At that time I also bought some secondhand ones shaveready from a member (still remember that X) for a coupleof bucks. So let's make it $120 and call it about right.

Sorry to disagree but in the US can't find anything worthwhile for that price.

Part of it isthe Norton though. That thing's pricey. And I didn't say all the materials are very good.

You've seen my coticule...it's tiny.
The brush has been upgraded by now and it was very small
The strop left a residue on the razor after stropping (upgradded by now as well)
come to think of it the only thing worth keeping for the rest of my life was the razor....and I even got that upgraded by Bill (beautifull Cocobolo scales).

It wasn't much...but enough to keep me going for almost a yearand making me decide that I want to keep doing this. Some things have been donated...others I still use.

Sorry I misunderstood. You are right you can get things cheaper, but then you will just spend more to replace them. I bought a boar brush for $5 but quickly replaced it with a $40 badger brush which has been replaced by my late father's silvertip badger brush (free - yeah) I also bought cheap soap $2 which I quickly replaced with Taylor of OBS for $25. You will notice I wasted $7 by buying crappy items. I dare not mention what I spent on crappy ebay razors before I wised up.
I find it is cheaper in the long run to buy better quality right from the start. just my humble opinion.

Could be. Although instead of TOBS you could buy Mammabear or Honeybee or SCS.

Then there's always the option of making things yourself. Im told leatherwork (basics) isn't all that difficult.

Not to mention that you can sell almost all of your str8 razor paraphernalia for (approximately) what you paid for it.

How much is that used BIC throw-away worth? That used M3 cartridge? That old Norelco electric? Virtually NADA! So even if you do lay out a little bread to get started in str8s you're not throwing your money away like are if you're a modern Gillette or Schick product man.

I'm a student and heres some quick figures from my standpoint: (this is all Canadian prices)

The cheapest razors I can find are these packs of 10 Gillette CustomPlus for $6.62 from Wal-Mart (taxes included). Now let's assume you shave everyday, so each razor lasts about a week (7 shaves a week, or 5 shaves and take the weekend off). So in a year you'll go through about 5 of these packs (52 weeks/10 weeks worth of shavers per pack) forget about the extra 2 weeks, let's just say you get lazy every once in a while.

The cheapest shave foam (and frankly quite good compared to the Gillette shit) I can find is a can of Barbasol for $1.77 (taxes included) also from Wal-Mart. It lasts me a little longer than a pack of the cheap razors will, maybe about 13 weeks, so you'll need about 4 cans in a year.

So 5 x $6.62 = $33.10/year for razors; 4 x $1.77 = 7.08

Grand total of $40.18 for a years worth of the most unsatisfying shaves imaginable.

I'm 20 now, so let's say conservatively, I have another 50 years of shaving ahead of me.

50 x $40.18 = $2009.00

Now thats a fair sized amount of cash, and what would I have to show for it...not a damn thing! Relentless razor burn and ingrown hairs...no wonder a lot of old men are cranky!

And this is the lower limit of what you'd probably spend on shaving with disposables. Don't even get me started on if you use a Mach3 or Fusion or whatever contraption torture device they think of next.

Even with a moderate case of RAD you can still come out ahead of the game, and then at least you'll have something you can hold and be proud of and pass on. Truly more worthwhile. (or you can sell it and regain some of your costs less the price of soap)

The only problem is that the price has more of a impact with straights. Hones, strops, paddles, razors. Even a cheap setup will give some sticker shock. Even though they about balance out in the end, straights make you more aware of how much you truly spend on shaving.

Shit I probably spent that much on ebay alone. Thanks now I am depressed.

Originally Posted by edk442

I'm a student and heres some quick figures from my standpoint: (this is all Canadian prices)

The cheapest razors I can find are these packs of 10 Gillette CustomPlus for $6.62 from Wal-Mart (taxes included). Now let's assume you shave everyday, so each razor lasts about a week (7 shaves a week, or 5 shaves and take the weekend off). So in a year you'll go through about 5 of these packs (52 weeks/10 weeks worth of shavers per pack) forget about the extra 2 weeks, let's just say you get lazy every once in a while.

The cheapest shave foam (and frankly quite good compared to the Gillette shit) I can find is a can of Barbasol for $1.77 (taxes included) also from Wal-Mart. It lasts me a little longer than a pack of the cheap razors will, maybe about 13 weeks, so you'll need about 4 cans in a year.

So 5 x $6.62 = $33.10/year for razors; 4 x $1.77 = 7.08

Grand total of $40.18 for a years worth of the most unsatisfying shaves imaginable.

I'm 20 now, so let's say conservatively, I have another 50 years of shaving ahead of me.

50 x $40.18 = $2009.00

Now thats a fair sized amount of cash, and what would I have to show for it...not a damn thing! Relentless razor burn and ingrown hairs...no wonder a lot of old men are cranky!

And this is the lower limit of what you'd probably spend on shaving with disposables. Don't even get me started on if you use a Mach3 or Fusion or whatever contraption torture device they think of next.

Even with a moderate case of RAD you can still come out ahead of the game, and then at least you'll have something you can hold and be proud of and pass on. Truly more worthwhile. (or you can sell it and regain some of your costs less the price of soap)

The only problem is that the price has more of a impact with straights. Hones, strops, paddles, razors. Even a cheap setup will give some sticker shock. Even though they about balance out in the end, straights make you more aware of how much you truly spend on shaving.