It's just nuts......

what some people will do to try and save a penny on shaving.

I frequent an investment forum, and one thread discusses how the poster has been able to use a Gillette Good News disposable for 60 days.

A few are doing flip-flops to squeeze more shaves, drying the razor with a hair dryer after use, stropping on their jeans, etc.

I've pointed out the advantages of using a straight razor, but "straight razors are scary".

Most people on the forum are level headed, but there are always some crazies when it comes to shaving.

Oh well.

My father was interested in saving money due to the high cost of cartridge replacements. I gave him a Gillette DE for Christmas with some Derby blades, a Frank Shaving Brush and some MWF. The entire gift probably cost me $50 and will most likely last him a year without replacing soap or blades.

In my opinion, if saving money is your sole concern, DE is a great way to go without the "scariness" of straights.

Gentlemen:

My friend Fbones24 speaks wisely. I have made similar suggestions to people.

After the initial modest cost, you're double edge razor will last a lifetime and your soap at least several months. Blades are relatively inexpensive, especially if you buy in bulk. Compare this to, say, a pack of eight multi-blade cartridges that runs about $22.

I have never been good at math, but this one is clear even to me.

Regards,

Obie

Yeah, I've saved soooo much money by going to straight razors ...... :gaah: all 200 of 'em :roflmao

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Yeah, I've saved soooo much money by going to straight razors ...... :gaah: all 200 of 'em :roflmao

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But the initial intent was there wasn't it? lol

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Originally Posted by Hawkeye5

Most people on the forum are level headed, but there are always some crazies when it comes to shaving.
Oh well.

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What you are missing, is that for some people, the pleasure is in the saving.
I've known a couple of guys like that, they would straighten out bent nails and so on.
Not long ago I found my neighbour carefully replacing a tine on a $5 grass rake, yet he's a millionaire at least twice over.
Our hobby is shaving, they get their pleasure from thrift. They probably think that we are the crazy ones, who can say which of us is right?

Although there is some upfront investment required, it's quite clear to me that one could save a bundle using a DE/straight and traditional shave soaps/creams over cartridges and the stuff found in drug and grocery stores. Heck if you use a straight and some Williams soap you're annual shaving consumables cost could be like $3-4 and you'd still get a far better shave than with disposable cartridges and goop-in-a-can.

For many, and essentially everyone on these forums, traditional shaving is more of a hobby than a cost saving exercise... but that's fine. Some people find gardening as a hobby and others gladly pay someone else to take care of the "chore." To each their own.

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Originally Posted by welshwizard

Not long ago I found my neighbour carefully replacing a tine on a $5 grass rake, yet he's a millionaire at least twice over.

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:) It's funny how most actual millionaires (i.e. those who actually have a net worth >$1 million and not those that just act like they do) are more like this guy than the McMansion and 5 red sports car types. As the crash revealed many of the later were simply massively in debt.

Truly wealthy people are truly wealthy and can and do buy whatever they like. When they are out amongst the riff raff they dress down so as not to draw any attention to themselves. Besides when you're a billionaire you have nothing to prove to anyone like a mere multi millionaire has to.

As far as saving money on things it's just a human quirk. Some people just develop it and live their lives that way without even thinking about it whether they can afford not to do it or not.

When I first started working there was a guy who worked as a clerk making peanuts. He lived in a mansion and came to work in a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce every day. I once asked him why he worked here. He said the staff at the house was always under foot and he liked getting away and being with his friends at work. Go figure.

Okay, let's get this thing back on track.

When I first started using straights I got pretty excited, but I never got HAD or RAD. I knew that one or two razors should work just fine and one or two hones should work just fine too.

I did buy one good strop and a custom strop maker made one for me gratis . . . Thanx again, Tony.

I did buy lots of creams and soaps. I think, maybe total 10-15 tubes/tubs/pucks all together . . .

that ladies and gentlemen was seven years ago.

I have to agree with my fellow Virginian, Mr. Davis. The balance between various acquisition disorders and finding one's own shaving sweet spot is tenuous.

I feel anyone getting into straight razor shaving to save money, is on a fools quest. The quest for shaving nirvana can be alluring, addictive, expensive and sooo much fun. How many of us got started with the original intent to save money and ended up with this or more?

11 Straight Razors
9 hones
2 strops
5 Safety Razors
too many mugs and consumables to list

Right now, I could shave for the rest of my life without spending a dime on anything other than hot water.

On the other hand, with the money I've spent, I could supply myself and everyone in my house with Gillette cartridges and Edge Gel for many years.

At this point, for me, it's a matter of wilpower to control those old RADs, HADs and other ADs. I'd bet it's the same for a lot of us?

did someone just, like 45 seconds ago, edit this thread by deleting a couple of obnoxious posts? it changed right in front of me.

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Originally Posted by Noisykids

did someone just, like 45 seconds ago, edit this thread by deleting a couple of obnoxious posts? it changed right in front of me.

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Yes, the mods were at work doing what they do best :)

Note to all members: use the 'report post' button rather than posting rude replies if you don't feel like posting a civil reply. 2 wrongs don't make a right, and the mods do read the reports.

Not sure where or why this thread went sideways, but back to the topic....

My grandpa proudly boasts that he can get something like six weeks worth of shaves from a Bic single blade disposable. He also lathers bar soap with his hands, as the canned goo is "a waste of coin". My dad would also stretch out a double blade cartridge for a few weeks, as he thought there was nothing wrong with doing so. I guess there isn't if you can put up with a dragging blade. But both men probably wouldn't understand why I have spend so much on simple shaving supplies.

When I was still shaving with a Mock 3 I was getting irritation and sub-par shaves, like lost of us. I found out late in the game that these little blades, much like DE blades, are really only good for 3 shaves. But unlike DE blades they are bloody expensive. I began to toss these blades after the requisite 3-4 shaves, and while my shaves got a little better it became very costly, indeed. Yes my friends, it is a very intentional trap that the good ol' Gillette Corp has many of us snared in.

I can say that yes, I have spent a bundle on shaving gear. But I have also saved a bundle in the 2+ years I haven't used a cartridge razor, as well as getting amazing shaves from wonderful traditional instruments. And the fact that it becomes a hobby should be mentioned. If I wasn't spending money on this hobby I would just be spending it on something else anyway.

Happy shaving all!

LOL, I cringe at the thought of using a disposable for 60 days. If I needed to save money that bad I'd just not shave.

I like my straight, still learning though, I had two good shaves then today, my face feels like a smacked ass, red with razor burn.

For a little over a year now i have had a straight razor and my total spent has been $15 total, my razor as my late grandfathersso as my mug and brush, my strop was given to me. The only thing i have bough as a barber hone at an antique store for $15. o I also spent 2 or 4 bucks on willams shaving soap so far. But im still under 20 bucks,

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Originally Posted by Deerhunter1995

For a little over a year now i have had a straight razor and my total spent has been $15 total, my razor as my late grandfathersso as my mug and brush, my strop was given to me. The only thing i have bough as a barber hone at an antique store for $15. o I also spent 2 or 4 bucks on willams shaving soap so far. But im still under 20 bucks,

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Just wait until you're older, have a job and have more disposable income - you'll laugh that you wrote this one day ;)

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Yeah, I've saved soooo much money by going to straight razors ...... :gaah: all 200 of 'em :roflmao

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As Mantic59 calls it, wet shaver acquisition syndrome. :overkill:

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Originally Posted by oldschooltools

At this point, for me, it's a matter of wilpower to control those old RADs, HADs and other ADs. I'd bet it's the same for a lot of us?

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I know I'm going to kick myself when I hear it but what exactly does everyone mean when they say RAD, HAD, etc.?

I've gotten 8-12 wks from a disposable cartridge - drying the blade, storing w/ edge up. I could probably do better now, using Utopian's Alchohol/mineral oil dip - which I do w/ the DE now. I do think DE & good blade/razor care is very economical. When I got that long life from a cartridge - a shave was a necc. evil. I'm spoiled for life now. It's a quality thing. The Genco was so sweet this morn.

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Originally Posted by ats200

I know I'm going to kick myself when I hear it but what exactly does everyone mean when they say RAD, HAD, etc.?

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An 'AD' is an 'Acquisition Disorder', so RAD is Razor AD and HAD is Hone AD etcetera and so forth...:)


Mck

I never acquired any of the ADs associated with shaving... it is bad enough having the ADs with brewing, lol. Don't think I could survive having it with both hobbies.

When I started in early 2009 I purchased a new Dovo set and have since added a used blade, set of good stones and enough Conk's soap to last me for years to come. I would say I have spent at most 400, probably closer to 300, in total and almost half of that is the hones that I also use for maintaining pretty much anything else in the house with an edge on it. That's two years of use and with what I have (including soap) I can easily go another 4 years. If I don't count the stones I am past break even easy. Even if I do count them I will break even in the next year or so. And I'm enjoying a better shave!

If it was really about saving though you could pull off a used blade and skimp on the basics (use a coffee mug, cheap brush, etc) and start for very little invested.

As far as the 'frugal mentality' that is a personal quirk more than anything else. Most everyone has their own little quirks that other people wouldn't understand. It is those things that make people interesting and unique, in my opinion.

I've only been slightly touched with the AD's (is there such a thing as only being slightly touched?!).
I've only bought four razors and one of those was for a mate to kick start him on the road to shaving nirvana.
The other three have been either bartered, traded or gifted to me.
Not including the DE.
The three hones I have I consider to be the minimum. Two of those are double sided, but that doesn't count.
I only have five different creams/soaps, two brushes. One cream and one brush for the 'dopp' kit.
I only have three strops...Well four if you count the one that is left permanently in my cabin on the family property...But it's also used as a guest house in my absence, so theoretically it's a communal strop. I won't mention that it always appears to be untouched in my enamal washbasin whenever I get out there, because then I might have to admit to owning four strops. In my defence I do make the damn things so surely that's acceptable.
Ok so whats the list:

6 Cut-throats (+1 DE)

5 shave creams/soaps

4 strops (3 of my own making)

3 Hones 1000/3000, 6000/8000 and 12000

2 brushes

1 face to shave

There we go! Not too bad for a bloke that reckoned he was just fine with one, then two razors (for rotational purposes), a strop, a brush and a tube of shave cream.
I was once a minimalist, but now I think I might have shamed myself out of that club...And No! I won't be getting rid of any of my sharp, shiny babies! I love them all!


Mick

5 Cut-throats (+1 DE)

5 shave creams/soaps

5 strops (2 of my own making)

5 Hones norton 1/8k, 4/8k, 16k shapton, 2 barbers hones

3 brushes

1 face to shave

total cost appx $1k

time till break even in a monetery sense, maybe when my kids inherit my gear. First ones on the way ^_^

time till I feel I've broken even?
EVERY TIME I SHAVE ^_^

Part of my money saving economic equation is the fact that I can sell most of my gear on Ebay for roughly what I have in it, if not more. Or, even after 50+ more years of use (hopefully!), my heirs will.

All my razors I bought secondhand, cleaned, and honed. I view them as "money in the bank" in the sense that they can easily and quickly be liquidated.

The 3 hones I bought new I'd lose more than 50% on. But those losses would likely be made up for with the profits on razors I got cheaply and honed on them. Jnats I guess would be closer to a break even.

I have 3 strops- one new and two used. The vintage ones I got good deals on ($25 for barely used shell) and they restored nicely so, again, something close to break-even assuming I don't gash them. The new one I paid $40 for and it should fetch $10 even a decade from now.

Brushes I'd lose at least 50% on, but I accept that. They're boar and horsehair (very inexpensive) and I LOVE them! Soap gets used, and even the good stuff works out to be about the same as canned goo, if not cheaper, so that's a wash.

The fact that most of my stuff is vintage I think puts something of a floor on the price- they're not making any more of them and they're cool antique collectibles involving something that's gaining in popularity. Plus, if civilization goes down the toilet at least we'll be clean-shaven until the bitter end.

When I'm buying I keep in mind potential resale value, so I buy desirable and decent stuff and sometimes pay a few dollars extra for that "insurance". Been lucky so far.

I say all this because I think resale value often gets lost in the shuffle. People wanting to go in as cheaply as possible forget that if you have decent gear you should be able to get most of your money back assuming you didn't overpay- known names are easier to sell. Meanwhile that coin is just parked in a cool experiment and hopefully rewarding hobby.

My best western razors I got for $15-$35. For the kamisori $60-$80. That involves selective and very disciplined buying, extreme patience, and some luck. Not to mention tons of research on the forums, etc when I was just starting out. When I've got my eyes on a razor for that week I avoid eating out, drive slower and less, get thriftier with electricity usage, everything I can think of to minimize expenses. I guarantee you I save more than whatever the razor costs so, in my mind, it's kinda sorta almost free.

There was a real lull in Ebay bidding around the holidays so I did some buying. I guess guys were buying presents for others and wives were saying "over my dead body!". Whatever it was, the general distraction was a window of opportunity. The bids, however, are now returning.

12 vintage western razors (2 Sheffield, 4 Swedes, 3 Grelots I bought in France, 2 Solingen)
5 vintage Kamisori (WOW!!!)
2 DMT (1.2k & 8k- ok, fast but too scratchy)
1 Shapton GS 16k (great stone, now I want the lower grits too)
1 C12k ($20 delivered- ok but not my fave)
1 Ebay Jnat ($50- for the kamisori- surprisingly good edge, there's probably better but not at that price!)
3 brushes ($5 horsehair, $25 horsehair, $10 boar)

I admit that I have yet to sell anything because I love them all. But I've reached the point where I should sell something to make room for anything new. I'd like to get a few more Shapton GS's to replace the DMT's and I'd love a $400 Jnat. And, although I nabbed a few unused vintage razors. someday I'd like to splurge on a brand new TI.

Further buying could get indulgent and would throw my break-even equation out the window. Until then, I truly believe that at the end of the day I'm getting these magnificent shaves for roughly the cost of soap and brushes and hot water and hone wear, if that.

I think that if I sold half my stuff I'd get most of my total investment back and STILL be set for life.

I'm a cheapskate. We'll see.