I'm in London and made stops by both Truefitt & Hill and Taylor of old Bond Street yesterday. My hotel is just a block or 2 from Dr. Harris, but they closed at 6 and I missed it by literally 6 minutes yesterday and lost the chance. I've been strong up until now but my mettle was tested to the max yesterday. Even my wife told me I was being silly and should make a purchase or two while we're here. But, I held firm, so I'm still in NB'18! Luckily I have half a jar of ToBS Avocado and an as-yet untouched T&H Key Lime, so it's not like I'm hard-up at the moment. About 1 year from now I'll be back on the market.
I had figured on doing some serious splurging in 2019 to celebrate the fact that I succeeded 2018(course I haven't YET, but I'm optimistic). It may well turn out that I don't NEED as much as I thought after all, but there will be purchases, that's for sure. I'm not talkin Pasteur's Pharmacy but I look forward to getting some nice "stuff".
Looks like I may falter, but in a small way. I won a great PIF for a Treet SE razor. I want to be able to say that I can shave with any kind of razor, so this was something I'm really looking to try, but I have no blades. Gonna have to get some. I'm still in otherwise.
I’ve faltered a bit as well. Won a PIF for a GEM MMOC, but then also ordered a Jeeves Blood on Steel combo. Folks said it was exempted from the NB, but I still feel that I have added a soap, a splash and a razor, which is kind of not the intent of this whole thing. It has slowed me down immensely, though.
I’m out. I was already feeling guilty about the 30DC ‘Blood on Steel’ SS/ AS combo, and then hit a little shop out of town today. Cased E2 for $11 Cdn with a vintage injector cartridge and a Canadian Rubberset brush for $3.50. Completes the debauchery with a $6 soap from a rural vendor here. sigh.
I'm still in. You better believe I was rather concerned about blowing it when I got those nice razors last week-end, but: 1)-they were on sale, 2)-I bought them locally and thus the "shipping cost" was free(my front seat). I've continued to avoid internet purchases and will be good through Dec 31(when the ball drops at Times Sq.)
I'm still in. I faltered a bit by buying a pack of SE razor blades for a PIF razor that I won, but I'm holding fast and true.
I'm still in, much to my own surprise. I nearly fumbled when the 30DC LE sets of Jeeves' Blood on Steel soap and splash appeared, but they had tobacco in them, so I passed. (I believe that technically that would not have violated NB'18, but it would have been me getting more soap and splash so I think it would have been against my personal rules.). Having gotten over that hurdle, I might now be able to do the rest of the year after all.
Wrong about doing the rest of the year. Today, September 7, I did leap, plunge, plummet or otherwise hurriedly debark from the NB'18 bandwagon. The cause: Vlasta's Rubberset 400 remake brush, the Alpha T-400. I was PIFed a prototype with one ferrule and really like it. The brush is aluminum with a threaded ferrule that can be interchanged to change knot types and even sizes (24mm standard, 26mm possible). Vlasta has spare ferrules available right now in his store but I was unsure how long that would be true, so I decided that if I wanted to complete my brush with a full set of interchangeable ferrules and knots, I should get them now rather than waiting until next year. This is my brush with the 24mm silvertip knot that it came with. I am getting ferrules with a 24mm boar, 24mm synthetic and a 26mm high mountain white badger, which gives a complete set of all types of brushes in one package (I am not interested in horse): Since I had a bet on with Neal @NCoxSTL that I would complete NB'18, I have also ordered him a knot to complete a brush handle that Jason @jtspartan made for him after losing the same bet...
I'm still in, although I was told that buying from the TSD Store is safe. I might well do that before the end of the year, when it closes down.
And I'm out with the purchase of 2 aftershaves from Perry! Not bad for over 2 years without a purchase. I didn't need them, yet, so I'll exit gracefully.
Although I believe a "No Buy" is a very honorable challenge, I also believe it's a completely unattainable expectation, that's why I propose a "No Buy One Month At A Time"
Well, I still haven't made an internet purchase. If one member says TSD Store buying is safe, that's good enough for me.
Well, fellas....it happened. I am unofficially OUT. I say unofficially because I put in an order at Local Gent, which does show up on their checkout thingy, but I have yet to get a "Thank you for your order" from them. Here's what happened-Local Gent is indeed closing down, as it appeared to me they might be...but at the end of October. Pretty soon! I wanted to get another soap from them next year, but when Robb Phillips confirmed my suspicion for me, he suggested I act fast..and I reluctantly did so. Presuming all goes well, I'll be getting their Tobacco Lounge soap soon. It's listed as $3 less than the normal price, as it has been for a few weeks now. I'll just add to this post when it all becomes "official". I couldn't say no to this one, as I really liked their Fields&Streams. But now that I am probably out of NB18, will I take advantage and make more purchases before 1-1-19? Well, yes....if I have blond eyes and blue hair. I don't, so I won't. ...And now the order is confirmed.....,well, NB18 was fun while it lasted, but I couldn't let this soap run out before I had a chance to order it.
