I have read on numerous occasions that shaving with a de safety razor saves money. I wonder if this is really true and has anyone actually tested the theory. I know cartridges are expensive; I always used the two/three blade cartridges, even when they bought out four/five blade cartridges. I seem to remember they lasted a really, really long time. So, do you really save money?
I'll say those carts last a long time..used to make those suckers go for months.. My own collectings are pretty spread out these days and I'm saving on blades..so ya looks like I got a little ahead on this one...
Nope. Unless you have one brush, one razor, a pack of 100 blades, and maybe some soap or cream. Rarely have I met anyone with that set-up—as he probably DOES save over buying cartridges on a regular basis.
I have saved money. I have a bit of a collection but most of it has been amazing eBay finds or PIFs. Carts don't last long for my thick whiskers and the price of one is much greater than the blades I'm using. A 4 pack is about $15 of the carts I have used. Each one lasts no more than 5 days for me. Right now I'm using Artist club blades in a CJB shavette. The razor cost about $30 and blades are about $1 each and last the same 5 days. I have less than 5 razors and a strop on my want list and most of them are pretty inexpensive. I also don't buy full size soaps or creams right now. I only pay a few dollars for each soap and most samples last at least a week and some have lasted a month or more. My most expensive brush was a WD synthetic for less then $35. I also don't keep a large surplus of blades in backup. I buy smaller amounts and get more when I start getting low. I pay slightly more but I don't get hit with larger costs all at once. I figured it up on another thread and my average total weekly cost is less than $2. A week's worth of shave on a cart costs about $3.75 or more plus soaps and brush cost. I may not save much but it adds up in the long run. Saving money really depends on how well you can manage the ADs.
That. The austere DE setup as described by @HolyRollah will definitely save one money. The impulsive acquisition disorders that are so prevalent among this community are what blow all of those savings out of wallets. There is always something new or different I want to try be it a soap or aftershave. I'm pretty much out of the RAD so there's that, but ASAD costs me. I have budgeted one bottle per month. I'll NEVER use it all.
I saved money for a couple months. Then I spent like 1600 bucks on high end gear in the last 8-9 months, so no, not anymore
I agree! I have certainly saved money over Mach 3. Almost all of my products have been through gifts, generous PIFs, and a tour box pass-around. I have bought a few blades, a travel Tech, and some inexpensive after shave. So I have saved money over carts!
Carts don't have to be expensive, they can be just as cost effective as a high end DE, an Injector or Feather AC type blades...
You could. A good inexpensive soap (Arko, Derby, VDH Luxury, etc), one brush, one razor, a bowl or mug from the kitchen, and good inexpensive blades (i.e. Astra SP - $12 per 100). Sounds crazy, but yeah, you could do it.
I have saved, I think. I am not a collector so I don't buy a lot of anything. I have a few soaps/creams but I am not getting more until I use what I have. I have a few blade at the moment, but that is just for trial purposes.
I switched from an electric. Wetshaving is absolutely more expensive in my case. I've spent enough on my 40 razors to buy 10-15 decent quality electric razors. The AS cost is the same, but now I need shaving soap. I'm going to the shaving poorhouse and loving every minute.
Back when, most of us bought or were handed down a single razor which we used, and used, and used, there was really no reason to buy another. This phenomenon of buying a drawer full of razors actually started with the early carts and the "new and improved" advetisements coming out every few months and went insane when folks rediscovered DE and SE shaving. Through in forum sites where there can be a sense of competition, he who has the most or most expensive razors wins, and we arrive at the state of the market today.
For a bunch of years I had one Parker TTO, an Omega 49, bought Sharks by the hundred, and used Conk soap. I didn't know anything about beard reduction, DFS, BBS etc, but I got much better shaves in general over carts because I could afford to always have a sharp blade. I was also saving money. Then I found shaving forums and fell down a very deep hole. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
