Resolution, Restraint, or a Reason to buy?!

As I have recently passed my first anniversary of traditional shaving, and with the New Year approaching, I took a look at the my hobby/addiction/necessary grooming requirement.  I have found I enjoy the process of soap, brush, and vintage razor to remove the daily whiskers. But over the last 12 months I have spent an incredible amount of money trying soaps, blades, razors, and brushes. So I decided that in 2017 I would only use what I have on hand now.  

This lasted a day, then I was looking to stock up on anything I didn't have enough of, including buying an awesome looking 1959 Fat Boy that had been replated in rhodium within the last 8 years! So much for spending less! I tell myself that I am just making sure I can get through 2017, but I did have to shake my head as I unpacked the box from Maggards with the extra supplies! Am I really going to do this, or am I making excuses to buy more now?!

To be more serious, I want to see how long I can go without purchasing more blades or soaps or brushes, bowls, stands, razors, handles, etc. What I want is to relax, enjoy the shave, and learn more about what I have and how I use it. It is fun to read of new things, but I think, for me, I need to cool it and enjoy what I have instead of wishing for something else.  

The experience that brought me to realize this was shaving with a new to me Gillette Tech from the 40s. It is said to be a mild razor. Brother, was it mild! So comfortable to shave with, and as I noted in a journal, No Drama!  And two passes with a Personna Platinum Chrome (the Personna Red) gave an incredibly close shave. I reflected on that and spent the next few weeks, as much as possible, shaving "mindfully" and trying to relax and enjoy today's shave, and not planning tomorrow's set up or thinking about what is going to happen at work, etc. And I found that two passes with any of my razors gave me outstanding shaves (compared to when I first started learning how to shave with traditional equipment). I can now get the much sought after and praised BBS with three passes, but too many of those in a row and my face starts to get irritated! Two careful passes will keep me clean and closely shaven with no irritation. That is why I left the mega-bladed super duper shave systems: too much irritation on my neck.

May 2017 bring you all many blessings!

Yeah I tried this last year...........and the year before that...................and the year before that, etc. Actually I have only purchased a few straights lately and some things off of ebay that were incredible deals. Now the Timeless is catching my eye, but we'll see I guess.

my thought regarding purchasing more shaving gear is to first sell off gear I'm not using to help fund the new purchases. sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. that's just my general operating mode to justify buying more stuff.

I've found using a soap/cream exclusively until it is done can help put a damper on purchases - it's one thing to look at an additional soap as another choice for the day, another to realize that it represents many months of shaves.

It also helps with making the den more pleasurable (if you don't like a product enough to want to use it for that long, get rid of it.)

my thought regarding purchasing more shaving gear is to first sell off gear I'm not using to help fund the new purchases. sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. that's just my general operating mode to justify buying more stuff.

This is my view as well. Helps to keep inventory under control too


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We, as traditional wet shavers, are in an interesting position. We have what I would call a practical hobby. That is, we shave to be well groomed, whether face, head, or both and that is the practical.

There is also the hobby aspect of what traditional wet shaving is all about. We love our artisans and better commercial products. We share ideas, thoughts on products, and even PIF. This introduces us to new aspects of shaving and places that facial/head grooming way beyond just a chore.

For those reasons, that is why we can choose to do what is most comfortable for each of us as individuals, hold off on purchases until necessary, collect various shaving articles, use everything we have, or set up a display case of rare items for display only. Both the practicality and the hobby remain so however you look at it, just enjoy and may 2017 be good to you in the best ways possible.

'Yooper, I did much the same thing for a few years, then when I started to make my own products that quest just stopped. Maybe it was coincidence or maybe I was looking for that scent from my childhood barber shop. I think I also came to the realization that my shaves just couldn't get any better no matter what I bought.

I'm certainly not going to suggest that people stop buying shaving products. However, it is likely true that the happier man is not the man who bought everything he wanted, but instead the man who wants everything he bought.

This past year I tried a new approach and it served me well. I don't buy shave gear but rather, that's all I ask for and get for my birthday, Father's day, and Christmas from my wife and my kids, and my parents. Those three holidays and the shave gifts they purchase me is more than enough to have 10-15 new bottles of aftershave and matching soaps a year. It allows me to try new things, not ever make a shave the same as the one before it, and all indicated they much prefer shopping off my "shave gear list".... it worked so well in 16 we are doing it again in 17..... although I may buy myself a timeless razor for my birthday.... time will tell...

I managed to avoid buying any soaps or creams in 2016 after acquiring a solid lineup in 2015: MWF, Cold Harbor Jardin d'Orange, a brain bowl of MdC and AOS sandalwood. I'm fairly sure that the MWF, MdC and AOS would get me through 2017, but I think XPEC from Connaught Shaving would be solid addition to the lineup. Hardware-wise, 2016 brought me some offers I could not refuse: a OneBlade, and Shavemac, Simpson and Thater shaving brushes. I resolve not to view the BSTs in 2017.