Thread: The cost of shaving!

The cost of shaving is....high. This is regardless of if whether you spend money on M3/4/5/6 cartridges and goo out of a can or on str8, DE, Creams, soaps, etc. and the ADs that go with it.

It is a fallacy to think that wetshaving will be cheaper, it is definitely not cheaper and often more expensive if you are afflicted by RAD, SBAD, SCAD etc as I am

Originally Posted by RichZ

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.

You can get a perfectly usable brush for $5.99 at the drugstore (boar bristle, not synthetic. Been workin' fine for me for the past ten years). Williams shaving soap is $1.49, and a coffee cup works fine as a shaving mug.

I could buy a Mercedes, but my 15 year old Previa goes everywhere the Mercedes goes for a lot less.

Switching to a straight was for me all about the adventure. It was sparked be my trip back to the barbershop where I had my prom shave all those years ago and seeing that they still do shaves. I remembered the feeling and wanted to experience it again. So I found a way to get a shave that good every day.


I switched from cartridge razors to a injector about fifteen years ago to save money (then went to a DE to save even more a few years later). As for savings I used a $5 boar brush, a coffee mug, and Williams Mug soap for all of those fifteen years. You figure out the savings. Now that I use a straight for the luxury of it I deserve the luxury in the other areas of the shave too and can't count the cost.

Well, for me it was initally about price and reducing the old "footprint" I make on the planet.

But....things soon went downhill price-wise for me. A quick hundred on some vintage wedges, a quick several hundred on a Friodur, a quick couple of hundred (- cough -) pounds on various blades I picked up in the UK....

That's just the razors - forget about the peripherals like brushes, strops, stones, creams, balms, moisturisers, soaps, stypic pencils, alum blocks, aftershave, stands, razor boxes, dremel and attachments, sandpaper, metal polish, electrical tape, magic markers, pastes, pumice stones, mugs, scuttles, life insurance...

Take away the RAD and I'm sure it's cost effective though.

James.

Hi!

(my first visit here)

Interesting discussion... -I spent a fortune on my razors and stuff that goes together, but I still enjoy this kind of shaving (the only one that is tickling my self-esteem)

I felt shaving was quite boring before.

Regards!

I've been using the same razor for several years and I'm still using the creams I purchased when I started and had a bout of SCAD.

I think eventually the excitment wears down and you get down to business. At that point shaving with a straight really becomes pretty cheap over the long haul. As long as you let it!

I'm now getting great shaves using bar soap as "cream" so I'm actually getting worried about never having the opportunity to buy another good cream if anyone finds out.

Oh, sure I buy razors and hone them up and then sell them for the fun of it but really thats not the fault of anyone but me.

For me I Always hated to shave, I started shaving in Boot camp. I tried to get away without shaving there, but got ratted out by another guy who had to shave like twice a day. The Drill Instructor used to watch me shave every morning. I love shaving with a ST8. The smells, The feel, like treating myself to a spa daily. As for the cost. I have at this time two grandsons, and they will have all that they need to start shaving with a ST8, weatherer I am here or not.

Phil

Originally Posted by kd5tmu

I bought my fiancee some carts for her Venus Vibrance dealio. My GOD. I too took joy in the fact that I use a straight, and want to convince her to at least go DE, lol.

LOL I thought I was the only one tryint that...

Originally Posted by RichZ

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

I hope that my other half never sees this thread. She'll tell me something like "haha...you've spent half of your life's share already" and give me the eye.
I'm buying to take care of my future family...yeah! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, for me it was initally about price and reducing the old "footprint" I make on the planet.

But....things soon went downhill price-wise for me. A quick hundred on some vintage wedges, a quick several hundred on a Friodur, a quick couple of hundred (- cough -) pounds on various blades I picked up in the UK....


Take away the RAD and I'm sure it's cost effective though.

James.

So James, what did you get in the UK? Could you post some pics of the blades and , if you have them, of the shop? I want to travel vicariously through you (never been to the Uk)

Originally Posted by custommartini

...

So James, what did you get in the UK? Could you post some pics of the blades and , if you have them, of the shop? I want to travel vicariously through you (never been to the Uk)

Brendon,

I haven't got pictures of the old razors I picked up on my trip before christmas, but I've posted pictures of the new dovo I picked up at Trumpers here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/attac...9&d=1175850530
http://straightrazorpalace.com/attac...8&d=1175850514

She's a beauty! Shaves nicely too (almost shave-ready from the box - just needed a couple of strokes on the pasted strop).

James.