Thread: Is it actually more affordable than a normal dual blade razor + shaving cream etc?

In the long run is buying pre shave cream, shave cream, strop, and a straight razor more affordable than dual blade razors + new blades + shaving cream?

I think it could be more affordable, but it certainly has not been for me. That is not why I started with a straight razor, however, and for me ranks well down the list in the possible motivations for it.

If you can stick to one or two razors, sure, that's very rare around these parts though.

Originally Posted by ace

I think it could be more affordable, but it certainly has not been for me.

It could have proven more affordable for me too but I found there is a lot more fun just around the corner and down that slippery road.

As mentioned already, if a person can limit their acquisitions to the bare necessities, over the long haul it will be cheaper to shave with a straight razor than with the cartridge or twin blade disposables. After the initial investment it would take a few years of sticking with it to begin to be ahead of the game. If a young person stuck with it for a lifetime, into old age, they would be far ahead dollar wise.

I'd venture to say that most of the men on this board get into it and it becomes a hobby, if not an obsession. So like any other hobby, the money spent is part of pursuing the hobby and is enjoyable, unlike grabbing your can of goo and your disposable Gillette. If it is approached as a hobby it will probably cost far more but we're paying for a passion, not a burdensome chore. IME.

Jimmy's right on!!

I could say I've saved money with straights, but I could only say that if I'd previously been shaving with a nice late model pickup.

If you're prone to taking everything to an obsession, Look Out!!!

Regards,

Howard

It definitely would be cheaper than using a Gillette Fusion, and would be break even in about a year if you could limit yourself to one or two used razors, one strop and bargain soap and something to refresh an edge. For me it's about the shave quality, using something old and very cool and not filling landfills with used blades and or cartridges. Double edges are cheaper and the the break even point would be longer unless you would start collection DE razors

Theoretically a razor if properly cared for can last for generations, I have several in my rotation that are 150-190 years old.

Mach 3 at Walmart run about $3 each x 52 = $156

Edge at Walmart = about $3 per can x 12 = $36

So you are at about $195 per year for average shave equipment..

Plus you tossed out 52 razors and 12 cans

You can adjust that up or down depending on tastes...

This is all based on average users it is not an exact science, but you can do the figuring for what you have been doing for a few years and figure it out... Remember you have to figure it as just "shaving" not as a "hobby" for cost comparisons...


I am not figuring anything but costs to the wallet here, not the costs to your skin

Originally Posted by MrMat

In the long run is buying pre shave cream, shave cream, strop, and a straight razor more affordable than dual blade razors + new blades + shaving cream?

two ways to look at this:

1. You (and/or SWMBO) are not committed to the idea and are looking for "justification".

2. "Hey lookit my close shave, i did it with a straight razor and I SAVED SO MUCH MONEY!"
Said No One Ever.

In the case of #1. Hey if you're not really interested, don't mess with it. A DE will give great results and you don't _have_ to strop. Save up for a barber shave now and then.

#2. Reality, it's much more about the doing than the economics of the doings. One man can shave forever with one blade, one soap, one strop (with a method refreshing (paste or barber hone)). That seems economical-but like anything else in this world, one can spend as much on it as he cares to spend.



#3. I wouldn't return to multi-blade shaving if the "razors" and goo were FREE OF ANY CHARGE EVER!


I think some other folks share that emotion.

Originally Posted by MrMat

In the long run is buying.....a straight razor more affordable than dual blade razors + new blades + shaving cream?

When you say "dual razor blades" do you mean old style DE safety or disposable Gillette Sensor Excel type blades?

A few things to consider here. Start up costs for straight razor shaving are high, but if you can control the related acquisition disorders then over the span of a lifetime it is cheaper than using cartridge systems. However, DE would be hard to beat cost-wise, considering the very low cost of blades. It would take many many years to catch up to cost using a DE vs a SR. JMHO.

As for soaps/creams, it might seem like a steep price at first when comparing traditional products over canned goo, but you can buy mid-priced products that really aren't that much more than a can of Gillette that will a) last MUCH longer and b) are better for your skin. So in that regards you actually save money buying, say, a puck of Tabac.