The cost of shaving!

It's been over 7 years now since I started using a str8. Before that, I used the old Gillette safety razors (SE). Even back then, it was getting harder and harder to find blades for it.

I went to the grocery store the other day, and the wife asked me to get new blades for her ladies razor. "No problem" I said. Boy, was I wrong! There are now SO MANY types and styles of disposables for both men and womewn that I was completely lost.

And the PRICE$$$! Anywhere from $6 to $12 for a package of blades or cartridges or whatever they're called. It's ourtageous! How can people afford to shave?

Ya' know, when I quit smoking, cigarettes were $1.25 a pack. I figured I'd save that much a day. Well, it turns out I'm saving closer to $5 a day 'cause that's what they cost now. When I quit buying disposable blades, I figured it'd take years and years to recoupe the initial cost of my str8 and strop. Well, it looks like I've saved that cost several times already.

It's been a while since I've posted here. I see a lot of new members (which makes me glad) and I can't help but wonder if there are a lot more str8 users simply because of the cost? Or is it because people don't want to spend so much time trying to figure out what the hell kind of blades they need for their fnacy neon colored plastic and rubber "shaving system" (heck, I can hardly figure out how to use most of the features on my new phone)?

Cost wasn't a factor in my case. I had a 1 year old electric bought because the other one had a dying battery after 8-9 years of daily use. There were 2 motivating factors for me..
1) Independence. I didn't want to depend on being able to buy blades at a local Wal Mart. I wanted to be able to whip out a blade and shave anywhere. This could also be a motivating factor for most cartridge/DE users .
2) Curiosity. I've always wanted to know what it was like.
Honestly, I've spent as much as I would have on using disposables, but I have a rotation of 12 razors, with a few just waiting to be honed up and a semi-commercial setup. If you can limit yourself to one blade ($30 for a great condition vintage), one hone (actually 2 .jp slip stones for about $30), one strop ($35) and one touchup tool ($20), they'd pay off in 3-6 months of shaving.

The cost, and the fact that the mach 3 blades have, very strangely, deteriorated in quality since the latest multi blade version came out (anyone else see a connection there) are the main reasons why I have taken up str8 shaving.

Si

Cost was not a consideration for me, and I'm definitely not saving (yet?) from moving into straights. I believe I'm not the only one like this here :roflmao

I was willing and, luckily - able, to pay more than the bare minimum for straights (which is, indeed quite low if you are looking purely for good performance / functionality). I do think that over the years what I spend on razors and related stuff will be less that what I would have spent on alternatives - with better results and much more enjoyment. Moreover, it seems that good straights, hones, and brushes keep their value pretty well, and, in some cases, may even be considered a *decent investment*

Cheers
Ivo

It's all about the shave for me. While I do possess too many str8s, I also occasionally shave with a safety razor (Gem, Schick, or Gillette) just for variety's sake. I shudder to think how much money I have invested in all my brushes, soaps, creams and razors. Money well spent IMHO.


Wayne

I didn't start out for the cost...although that was a factor. I was actually looking to see if I could find cheaper M3 blades on e-bay and stumbled across some pakistani's. I though:"That's a good idea!" and started researching. Ended up getting a decent blade and I'll never EVER go back.

Sure the cost of disposable blades is a factor but until I stop going on ebay thats not a factor. For me it was my first str8 shave in a barber shop that hooked me. Smooooooth and I didn't have to shave for 2 days (I used to hate shaving back then). Now I almost wish I could shave twice a day...:D

The cost and absurdity of cramming six blades into a cartridge were factors in motivating me to try something different.

As Ivo mentioned already, RAD kicks in quickly for more than a few of us and thoughts of saving money are soon forgotten. The real payback is superior shaves and turning a chore into a ritual that we can enjoy. Vintage razors aren't likely to lose value over time though.

I had seen my father use his straight when I was younger and wondered what it was like to use one. I had been using a gillette fusion for awhile and see spending $20+ for eight cartridges. Now that I'm using a straight I definitely wont be going back to a crappy over priced fusion or any other type. No more razor burns or ingrown hairs and my face has never looked or felt better.

I've saved tons in shaving over the last 3 years. This is because I'm a college student. You'd be surprised how many college guys go bearded because they can't afford the latest contraption. I paid ~40 for a strop, 5 for a brush, 2 for soap, and had the mug sitting around. I was lucky enough to get a shave ready razor on the promise that when I am in a position to afford to do so, I pass along the joy. :tu Still in college. 47 for an investment, I've saved a couple hundred so far on cartridges and canned foam/gel, and I've only had to buy one more cake of soap since then, maybe two, I don't recall. With the news that I have saved that much, the following has happened: I bought more soap, a couple creams, a pre-shave cream, a badger brush, and a Norton 4k/8k. Now it seems that I'm still in the black, so a new razor may come my way soon. We'll just have to see.

I bought my fiancee some carts for her Venus Vibrance dealio. :gth 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.

Ok, most of the guys in this group aren't saving much money because they're collectors now:p , 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.

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Originally Posted by joesixpack

Ok, most of the guys in this group aren't saving much money because they're collectors now:p , 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.

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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.:hmmm:

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. :roflmao
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.:cry:

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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.

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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 ;)

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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.

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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...:eek:

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

James.

Hi!

(my first visit here)

Interesting discussion...:hmmm: -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 :td before.

Regards! :tu

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

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Originally Posted by kd5tmu

I bought my fiancee some carts for her Venus Vibrance dealio. :gth 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.

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

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Originally Posted by RichZ

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

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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.

Quote:

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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. :thinking:

James.

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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)

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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)

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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.

wow...that's a Dovo?!? It's one of the sexiest things I've seen all day. Time for a cold shower and a web search. How much did it set you back?

Way too much! In fact, I know I paid too much for it, but I don't mind paying a premium to buy direct from the Trumpers store. My wife almost killed me though. It put me back 150 pounds.

(Yes, I know, I know, it's probably half that price on the 'net etc., but I got to see it, feel it, talk to the Trumpers guy about it - I even tipped the guy....)

James.

I didn't get into it for economics or the environment either. I'm just interested in old-school things that have rituals (driving a VW, listening to records, smoking a pipe). Coming from the electric shaver realm, where the shaver is under $50, the heads can last for a year, and electricity is pennies per kilowatt-hour, there's no way straight-shaving is cheaper. (Heck, I've spent over $200 at this early point just to buy entry-level straight razor stuff, and I'll still have to buy more soap and aftershave in the future. And that's if I don't pick up RAD or the other disorders along the way!)

But it sure is better. I'm of the mind that life is short, so if you're going to do something, you might as well make it enjoyable. :cool:

- Scott

One of the themes I've noticed for almost everyone is the monetary cost. I'm willing to pay money for the good things in life. I can't stand walking into a store, staring at the little 10' by 5' shaving section, comparing 2-3 products, and finally leaving 30 minutes later with $20 less than when I went in. And I feel bad for those fellow's that still do. The thought of scraping my cheeks and neck with 4-5-who knows how many blades scares me. Especially since I know what I can acheive with just 1 finely-honed blade.
One thing I noticed that nobody figured into their maths is how much cost inflation will add in. I doubt if you'll be able to buy 8 blades for $10 in the next decade.
I pay knowing that what I have will last, if properly cared for, the rest of my life and possibly well into the lives of my unborn children (I'm only 18...), just like I pay for Honda's knowing they'll go, and go, and go for hundreds of thousands of miles on the same engine (again if cared for).

It's all a matter of how you see "cost" and I see my pennies well spent. I'm overjoyed knowing that when I wake up in the morning I'm but an hour away from one of the highlights of my day whereas before I woke up dreading that cold feeling of goo being torn from my face.

Woo hoo! Mark one for the B-ster!

(And I just noticed that FloridaBoy isn't too far from me...)

I actualy worked it out yesterday for a friend who was curiosu about straights ( another convert as of next week when I finish renovating the razor he's picked out of my collection)


anyway back to the point, I used Wilinson sword 'extreme 3' disposables , used 2 a week.

working on that being approx 8 per month, and as they cost £4.95 for 4, I was spending approx £120 ( $225.60) per year on razors;

If I carry shaving and live until the average age for men here in england of 85 I still have 42 years of shaving left

which is at current prices for razors is £5040 ,

then shaving foam at £3.95 per can per month is £1990

a grand total of £7030 or $13217.90 I would spend in my lifetime at current prices.

At the moment I use L'occitane shaving soap @ £7.90 and use 3 per year , which would be over my life time £995.40, plus a decent razor, lets say a dovo @ £95, plus a strop for £45 and a hone for £ 45.

so my straight costs would be £1180 in total

so the comparison for me is :
cartridge shaving £7030 or $13217.90
Straight shaving £1180 or $ 2218

total savings £5850 or $10999.90

thats' a big difference folks!

so when your good lady complains your razors cost too much then show her the figures and point out that your still saving money even after you've bought that fancy razor you want :D

and last but not least you also are being more friendly to the environment with less razors and empty shaving cans going into landfills!

I'm only just getting started, having just ordered a prearranged gift set, but I did a little math to put the cost thing into perspective for me.

I buy generic, lowest cost, bag o disposable razors typically because, well, of the cost. Even then assuming I get 2 weeks worth of shaving out of that bag, and that's dubious, that's 78 bucks a year without considering shaving cream or the costs associated with driving to walmart to get the things and the alcohol it takes to not go insane while waiting in the ungodly lines in said walmart. I figure that, barring those who purchase truly expensive sets, it really is cheaper in the long run.

That said, i agree with some of the others here, it wasn't cost savings or even the environmental aspect that got me interested. It was having my great great grandfathers razor and accessories combined with my love of neat old things and history in general.

Besides, what woman would be impressed by saying "I shave with a bic quattro pro."

~L

I got into straights hoping to get great shaves, then got into collecting razors and hones. I have gradually come to realize that if I were to do it all over again knowing what I know now, I could get by quite happily for the rest of my life with:

$52 Dovo-made C-Mon (new, Appleton's Barber Supply)
$15 Dubl Duck barber hone (new old stock, tilly aka redtrader99)
$20 Illinois #127 strop (new, Appleton's Barber Supply)
$50 Rooney small style 1 pure badger brush (new, www.ClassicShaving.com)
$ 5 Old Spice Shaving Mug (used, ebay)
Williams Mug Soap (Kroger)
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$142

Which is what, 10 refills of Fusion blades? Maybe a years worth of shaves?