January 2019 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Jeeves occupies a weird place in my den. Firstly, I love the soaps and splashes. My skin loves both and I consider them top tier products. Oddly, however, I have set out to buy very few of them purposefully. I have accumulated 4 soaps and 4 splashes without any specific intention to do so. I got the 7 oz Apothecary soap first- through a Canadian vendor who no longer exists. Next I got the Tobacco/Bay splash on sale through the same site- based on reviews and the quality of the soap. Probably my favourite Jeeves scent. Next came the Key Lime soap from Adam last Christmas as a very generous gift, then came the Blood on Steel combo, which is the only one I paid $20 for a 4 oz tub for. Didn't care as it said '30Day Crew' on it for Pete's sake! Wouldn't have cared who made it, I was getting it. It was a bonus that it came from a trusted vendor in a nice scent. Next came the Cherry Blossom combo (soap is 7oz) in one of John and I's numberous trades... the Mountain Rain splash just came last month as that same site was shutting down...paid $11 CDN for it, I think. Sales of stuff I like is an added bonus, sales of stuff I didn't go looking for doesn't always work out...(see below)

One thing I've noticed- When I am purposeful about wanting a certain product and don't really care how much I pay for it (within reason, fwiw), I find it get used regularly. SV Felce Aromatic comes to mind. When I have bought something only because it is on sale, or it is a throw in on a trade, not so. I was excited to get DR Harris Arlington half price for example- couldn't care less if I pif'ed it now actually. What is the price for something not to get used?

Interesting point of view. I saw an interview with Will from B&M last year or so where he thought that when the market became saturated that it would be the full time artisans who would suffer, as the part timers don't rely on the business as their lone source of income.

Yup, agreed. It has to be a quality product first, and then we can debate price... Again, if I got a good deal on something, but then never use it, I guess it wasn't that good of a deal.

PS- I LIKE Russian Blades...

 

I have quite a few videos on how I lather Williams. Suffice it to say, a stiff backbone boar brush, just damp enough to know it's wet, and beating it the IRS is trying to get a confession out of it. That's my secret. Well, that and when you think you have enough, load more.
I never did use a bowl for lathering. I juse face lather, I also don't try for yogurt like lather. Just slick and not airy.

 

Me too. Rapira Sweedish Supersteel in Red, White, and Blue is my favorite blade. I just don't use DE enough to justify more than 200 or so blades in the stash...

 

I bet it is then, Adam. I plead "Very Guilty" of forgetting who sent me what in many instances last year, to assist me in a NB18 that eventually failed. I will credit you in advance, then, . Please keep me posted when you're set to do a Titanic job...I'll definitely put myself in the running. It's no wonder he wasn't getting any repeat calls. 7 oz. ain't 3. Didja read my post about wondering if Wm. "Bill" Neumann Soaps might try a reduction of theirs, too, and I suppose it would be for the same reason.

 

The Neumann soaps seem more of a factory than the Jeeves ones. I've seen the Jeeves production facility. Its the kitchen of an old farm house in Buckner, MO where he renders the tallow himself and cooks up the soap. Economics are different for a small operation vs. a factory one. I know for me and my strops, I can't compete with the price points of the factories like Illinois strops. I just make small batches of them, and price them where I don't lose money, and people are happy with the perceived value. As long as artisan made products can meet both of those standards, they seem to do OK.

 

Sound great to me!
tp

 

Patrick, in my limited experience, Rapira is a top shelf DE blade. They are very smooth and sharp enough. Good call to get more of them.

Thanks Bruce. Great minds!

You make some great points, Jason. Thank you. I'm reducing my soap inventory to the ones I really enjoy using...so that I can actually enjoy using them. As you say, cost within reason usually isn't a factor in my decision making. By making the commitment to use up my excess soaps, it helps me realize how long it takes to actually use up a soap. It's an object lesson for me. This kept me from pulling the trigger on a bunch of new soaps during Black Friday/Cyber Monday that likely wouldn't have been in my top five. I did fall into a hole and purchased a few razors toward the end of last year. I'll probably gift one or two of those eventually. I can think of a lot of things I've acquired in the last five years (shaving and otherwise) that take up space, and I wonder what I was thinking when I made those purchase decisions. I'm not sure if you call that being a minimalist or just knowing what you like...and then being content with it and enjoying it...without continually searching for the next best thing.

 

I'm a week into my NB and EDRIO, and I am already realizing this. I have way more shave gear than I need. I crossed the line to collector status, and am approaching hoarding. My focus for this year is to use up software, and figure out a shorter list of what hardware I want to keep.

 

51 to go Adam! (weeks).

 

Please, boss, be careful with these market comments. The DJIA dropped 250 points within a half hour of your post. The Cartel doesn't need any more publicity if you know what I mean. As per protocol, Ursola is queued up with a press statement if the media scrutiny becomes too intense.

 

200 or so blades at Cartel HQ is panic time. We're OUT of blades at that level. Not that I'd know. I haven't had that few blades in, oh, I'm guessing three years or more.

 

Just tell her to issue a statement that my statement was only a statement of the overall market conditions and considerations that may or may not be a statement of the current state of soap production, sales and supply within the stated supply chain. That should help settle things down.

 

Thank you, Jim!

 

Thank you, Patrick!

 

Thank you, Bruce!

 

Thank you, Perry!

 

Great picture, Patrick!

 

Artisans will always have a bit of an advantage because it is a craftsman/personalized product and experience. I would much rather have a strop made by an artisan, i.e. YOU than buy one from some shave shop. Just like most of my brushes are now customs by either @Jayaruh or @jtspartan . I can get the same knots from commercial brush manufacturers but having the handles made by an individual craftsman adds value. Same for my Wolf Whiskers brush.

 

Terrific picture, Jason!

 

If we start seeing shopping carts and cats in your pictures we'll call an intervention as that will definitely be crossing hoarding status.