November 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Here it actually is...

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Hoarding is such a coarse term, Rick. My DE and SE blade supply is a well-reasoned emergency stockpile. As such, I consider myself to be a completionist, as I've hoarded...er...uh...stockpiled a lifetime supply of blades. If Polsilvers and Sharp Stars finally run out as predicted (in 2080 or so), I will continue to sleep well at night and enjoy a silky smooth, if not somewhat saggy, mug every morning.

For all you math and spreadsheet aficionados...take the total number of DE blades sold in the last couple of years, divide by 3000, and that should yield a pretty close estimate of the total number of traditional shavers. This assumes that most are completionists, and if they aren't, they really don't count anyway.

 

Thanks Andrew. Thanks for the Stirling info. I don't need any new soaps, but I'll definitely poke around on their website on Black Friday.

 

What is this “need” you speak of, Charlie? I’m pretty sure most of us lost sight of “need” in the rear view mirror several thousand miles back.

 

Well said, Neal. A very compelling argument that I can't dispute. In some ways, I'm slightly (and I mean slightly) envious of the guys who use "our stuff" and don't make it a hobby. Without a doubt, they do save a fair amount of money. On the flip side of that, I'm glad shaving has become a hobby for me. Even buying things I don't need, it's still a cheap hobby in comparison to many others...like Harleys, boats, muscle cars, etc. When my wife rolls her eyes and questions why I need so much shaving stuff, I always remind her of that. It could be much, much worse. Added bonus - I smell good.
Our supervisor at work started off as a teenager using a DE razor. At one point in the past he tried switching to carts, and hated it. He's been back to DE ever since. He still hates shaving, however he hates it less using a DE. For the life of him, he can't imagine why anyone would consider it a hobby. He uses Barbasol and a Gillette Slim, and said his entire shave takes 1 1/2 minutes, tops. He even uses the same blade for the better part of a month. But, hey - he's still "one of us".

Should you ever run across any "data" on how many traditional shavers there are, please do share. Naturally, you'd have to take the info with a grain of salt. It's not as if someone is going to go door to door, nationwide, with survey forms. There are certainly many older folks who have used traditional gear their entire lives, and continue to do so - yet, we'll never see them on a forum about shaving. My guess is, like most "surveys", someone would ask about 50 people, in the same area, what they use - then write a half-baked report based on that. In other words, there are most likely many folks who kick it old-school that we'll never know about. And probably many more who switch as a cost saving measure that we'll never know about, since they aren't hobby shavers and won't be posting about their shaves.

In a worldwide sense, there must be many, many people who use DE razors. Ever watch the video on how DE blades are made? If memory serves me correctly, I'm pretty sure I've seen that in one minute, they can produce enough blades to supply a person with 10+ years of blades. That's a lot of blades!

 

i would like to see new razor sales, soap sales. vintage i think would be inaccurate due to collectors.

 

i agree, my muscle car/ hot rod habit cost thousands, and you can t really drive it until its finished..my face still hurt like crap..

 

What a beautiful razor and brush combo, Jim. Looks like the Vector shaves as good as it looks! Congrats and Happy Friday!

 

TGIF! He always looks so happy, Andrew.

 

Razor: Schick Adjustable (M2)
Blade: Personna (1st use)
Brush: Ever Ready w/ 24mm Tuxedo knot
Soap: TOBS Peppermint
Post Shave: Nivea Sensitive

So, I loaded this loaner up with the same blade that I have been using in my G1 - I thought i'd make it a fair comparison.
Having never used this razor before, I figured that a sensible aggression setting was in order - I set it to 8 (of 8).
What an underwhelming experience... There was more blade feel than the G1, but less efficiency IMHO. It took a great deal of work to get a really smooth finish (much more work than with the OCMM) and was not massively comfortable when doing so. The G1 takes some work to get as good a finish as the OCMM, but it is wonderfully smooth and gentle (whilst maintaining a good level of efficiency).
I don't think that I'll be splashing out on one of these in the future.
Photos to follow!

 

Thank you Jason!

 

I especially enjoy your Wednesday and Friday posts, Andrew. You remind us what life is all about. Logan looks like he might be up to something this morning!

 

I'm not tellin'. I never fessed up to a teacher when I was a kid, and I ain't gonna start now!

 

Wonderful picture, Jim! I am going to have to ask you to not talk about how wonderful that razor is. I have absolutely no need for another razor, so enabling is not allowed.

 

Great picture, Andrew! Logan is losing the toddler look and looking more like a boy everytime you post his picture.

 

Excellent picture, Clint!

 

Beautiful picture, Randy!

 

You got me there, Randy. Need vs. want...need to work on my word choices.

By the way, you were a really cute kid. Your narrative has remained very consistent over the years.

 

Great picture, Brian! Terrific shot of your grandson!

 

Excellent picture, Jason!