Is wet shaving cheaper to do than using disposable razors?

I agree.

 

It's cheap in the end (if you want it to be) but expensive to get there.

 

The bottom line I was getting to was switching from disposable to DE is cheaper because it's cheaper to replace a razor blade than a whole razor. Soap, brush and bowl are not necessities, but definitely desirable and can be used with any razor.

 

I started off with the economic concept of wet shaving. I got cheep bowl, brush, and some glycerin soaps when I joined a razor shave club. Liked the idea of the more "gentlemanly" approach to shaving. Then the club I belonged to closed down. I was left without a way to get the cartridges they provided. That is when I got into DE shaving. Got a Merkur barbar pole razor and some Astra blades. Then the sickness began. I now have 6 razors, 12 soaps, 6 brushes, 2 bowls, and all of the Clubman aftershaves (along with a few others). This all started back in late October of 2016.

 

If you really want to save $$ buy a vintage straight and strop. I got both for under $50. Get a brush for $20, puck of Arko for $4 and you're in business for well under $100, for equipment that would last longer than you, with the exception of the soap.

 

Way cheaper.
You can't believe how much money I'm saving.

 

So says John "Pinocchio" Beeman

 

I will spend $0 on shaving this year. Overall, I have spent too much over the last 7 years. I haven't spent much of anything over the past couple years. Over time things will balance out, but I now get fantastic comfortable shaves and don't loathe having to shave which is worth a considerable amount.

 

My landlady gave me a pack of disposables. Two, maybe three decent shaves with each, then they're tossed. A $10 Tech will last longer than you will. I just ordered 200 blades for less than 18 cents each. A ten buck brush will last...how long? Not sure, and it's not even a necessity. Cremo you can rub in with your hand. That's the cost side. Now...place your cheap disposable next to the Tech.

'nuff said.

 

How do you put a price on your woman cuddling up with you at night because she LOVES the way you smell? That's priceless!!!!

 

I agree. IMO the DE's shave better and the SE shaves BETTER yet. If the disposables work better for others, that's good too. Your shave, your way is what they say and they are right.

 

Careful! I went through what your going through and then before I knew what happened, I started shaving with a straight edge. The adrenaline rush is incredible. It's like driving a corvette on a winding country road. A blood sport! Can I complete my shave without weepers, nicks and cuts. Weepers and nicks disappear with a finger swipe. The cuts bleed a while. Once I thought I might have to go to the hospital, but I finally stopped bleeding. Operator error. I learned quick to know where the whole cutting edge is and not just the part I'm using to cut. Completing the shave without a single sign of blood is a feeling of victory. A SE, BSS shave will last 2 days for me. The 3rd day I can feel the shadow but can't see it. The DE shave is 1 day less. The disposables were always every day shavers. I'm a shaving soap, brush and razor addict too.

 

I like barbasol but I've noticed no matter how smooth the shave I will get irritation if I don't rinse it off thoroughly. But then the same happens if I don't rinse off shaving soap.

We have separate beds now. We both snore.

 

As long as you don't start buying everything you see on this forum you bet it's less expensive. A lot of us here like to collect things related to shaving. Just look around and you'll see what I mean. I save money every time I shave with the $1000.00 dollars worth of stuff I've acquired over the years. Give it a shot.

 

Since I'm a finance nerd I like to track & analyze numbers and on a per-shave basis my DE shaving costs me $0.35 (edited from $0.40 after looking at my figures again) less per shave than it would with my Gillette Fusion, and I'm on a glide-path to entering that mythical land of "saving money" by 2018. Before I started DE shaving I already used a badger brush and ToBS shaving cream. So, I conveniently don't have to compare 'fancy' soaps & creams against Barbasol. But on the other hand I didn't formerly use after shave, so that is an incremental expense for me. I 'only' bought two razors, a Merkur and a Feather AS-D2, and that is really the big cost difference for me, and why it'll take me a little over a year to finally break even. (I have some other HW I also include in my costs, including a shaving bowl that I don't use anymore since I face lather, and a stand).

I think the biggest difference between me and many DE/SE shavers is that I don't really feel the need to buy & collect razors or brushes. I reckon I'll use my AS-D2 for at least 10 years or so, and I only have 2 brushes a badger & a boar, and will probably buy a synthetic one to replace my badger whenever it comes time to replace it.

I didn't start DE shaving to save money but I do enjoy to track expenses as I said and I feel motivated to successfully complete the NB-17 club here and get to where I can say I am saving money, since I can see that goal in sight not too far off.

 

The best part is the soap and blades are the only consumables. Keeping the equipment to a minimum is paramount to keeping costs low. D R Harris makes excellent soap. The cost is expensive and the tripple milled soap lasts for a longtime.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk

 

Better shave for less money is pretty darned good, isn't it?

 

I was already using a brush and decent soaps my last few years of cart shaving, so I can say after I bought a DE razor and a blade sampler pack that, yes, I was actually saving money over disposable carts...and then I placed a few soap orders, and purchased some vintage razors, and bought knots to custom make brushes...sigh.
However, I would say that I save money over other 'Hobbies' that are often slightly more expensive and engrossing such as Golf trips to Scotland, private space travel and small island acquisitions.

 

The reason I got into wet shaving was because I was spending too much time cleaning the multi blade disposables and way less time shaving. Saving money was an added benefit until the addiction to collecting soaps, brushes and razors.

 

Not if you start collecting.​