How do you decide?

[FatBoyFan]

Dear Forum members,
It has been a year and a half since I tried my first Artisan shave soap. I now have some forty or so soaps and about two dozen razors, mostly DE with two SE’s. I tip my hands off to those of you who use straight razors, they scare the daylights out of me.

My real question to you all is if you have multiple soaps and razors as I do how do you choose what to use on any given day?

I tend to chose by what I am in the mood for on any given day, not sure this is logical or “correct”. I have tried letting the time of year help me choose, but some days I feel like a rich Old Spice scent or a Tobacco scent on a summer day.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have time to share your thoughts I would appreciate it.

Be Well,
FBF

 

[Twelvefret]

There has been a recent interest in using replaceable blade straight razors. @chazt is one of the members. He does a daily double where he uses a shavette on the area where he is most comfortable then finishing with a DE or SE. I'd like to invite you to consider this next step. There is a dedicated daily double thread for this reason.

 

[Bauhaus]

The answer is pretty simple: just use whatever you feel like, whenever you want.

Naturally, in cold weather I lean toward warmer scents rather than something like Santa Maria Novella with its menthol kick. Same with aftershaves. Cold weather calls for warm scents, less menthol, and fewer citruses. Cold weather is an excellent to alternate aftershave lotions with balms, as I don't use the latter during the summer months.


As for razors, I don't overthink it, I just grab whatever I feel like using, whatever comes to mind, or whatever I reach for first.

 

[DesertIguana]

I am sort of a minimalist, when I open a soap I use it until it gone.

I own 7 Razors, 4 Brushes, I rotate when I want a change.

I honestly could cut the stable to 3 Razors, 2 Brushes, and still great Shaves.

Technique & Shape Blade is the key to great Shaves.

 

[Mark12]

It can be nice to move through the types of razor you have using little theme weeks or months. I know this is a common theme with several shavers I know...maybe vintage Gillette then injectors or single edge and so on. You can groups your razors to make it work.

A lot of the time I just use what I fancy like the old saying... 'A little bit of what you fancy does you good'

I think whatever you fall upon, just make sure you're enjoying your shaves.

 

[p.b]

Try using a soap for three days before moving on to the next one. I also used to use a razor until the blade was done before moving onto the next razor.

 

[Mike Smart]

I’m a bit different from most in i work abroad most of the time and just take a few sets with me but when im home i try to use a different soap everyday.
For a while i wasn’t using certain soaps for no reason so iv decided to use them all in a rotation.

 

[TobyC]

Razors and brushes I rotate through all of them and then start over.

With the razors I stick with one for around five shaves before moving on,

With brushes it's just one shave and move on.

I use one soap till it's gone.

 

[FatBoyFan]

Thank you to you all for your time, consideration, and suggestions! I have never heard that little bit of fancy does you good saying I will use it. God rest her soul, my Mom used to say “Everything in moderation, even moderation”.
I do enjoy my shaves now and my wife tries very hard to give me my “Me time”. I think I have a good sense of smell and like a pretty wide range of scent profiles in my shave den.
Be Well all and thank you again.
FBF

 

[p.b]

I also use a shave app (my shave den) this helps me use some of the items at the back of the drawer that I might overlook. If that less used item doesn’t appeal then I sell it (that helps keep the inventory down)

 

[Dipesh]

Razor wise I seem to rarely deviate from my Progress (i have a few with various knobs). Soap wise, having gone through various stages of this hobby, I get the most joy from sticking with a soap from start to finish and really dialing it in. Keeps it nice and simple, its not for everyone though!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Dear Forum members,
It has been a year and a half since I tried my first Artisan shave soap. I now have some forty or so soaps and about two dozen razors, mostly DE with two SE’s. I tip my hands off to those of you who use straight razors, they scare the daylights out of me.

My real question to you all is if you have multiple soaps and razors as I do how do you choose what to use on any given day?

I tend to chose by what I am in the mood for on any given day, not sure this is logical or “correct”. I have tried letting the time of year help me choose, but some days I feel like a rich Old Spice scent or a Tobacco scent on a summer day.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have time to share your thoughts I would appreciate it.

Be Well,
FBF

I'm pretty much the same as you.
I walk up to my gear and just randomly pick whatever takes my fancy.
The caveat though is the shaving soap right now because I'm trying to empty a couple of tubs and it gets boring fast using the same soap lol.

 

[Twelvefret]

Maybe an interesting topic for a future thread is to ask what the purpose/intent of one's is shave hobby. It might be brushes, soaps, vintage holders, straights, honing, etc. It might be a combination, soaps and brushes. I might be the skill to use whatever equipment exists.

 

[Smiffy]

Razor wise I seem to rarely deviate from my Progress (i have a few with various knobs). Soap wise, having gone through various stages of this hobby, I get the most joy from sticking with a soap from start to finish and really dialing it in. Keeps it nice and simple, its not for everyone though!

Very similar here, I have other hobbies where I mix and match with alacrity but for shaving I have used the same razor, same blade, same brush, same soap for about two years and they all work together to give me the shave I want, I find it difficult to deviate to be honest.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Maybe an interesting topic for a future thread is to ask what the purpose/intent of one's is shave hobby. It might be brushes, soaps, vintage holders, straights, honing, etc. It might be a combination, soaps and brushes. I might be the skill to use whatever equipment exists.

Well my whole purpose was to save money because I'm a tight ass.
If only I had kept well away from shaving forums, my plan might have worked.