Anything that can go wrong will happen while I'm shaving...

Unless Shave Forge sourced their silvertip from Yaqi, you may be pleasantly surprised! But I am a glass half full guy, if I am not burying my head in the sand!

I don't know where they source from, but the SF is fine feeling. The problem remains building a lather. It's probably a standout bowl latherer, but I rarely do that. I could just go back to the puck and reload. But it's annoying when my synths will load 4-5 passes without issue, work effortlessly, and feel fantastic. Maybe I'm simply doing something wrong?

Whatever the issue is, I think I'm ready to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff. As it is, I have a hard time picking what brush to use. The choices are quite plentiful, and all work great.

I think I understand. It sounds like what I described as my stuff owning me, and the effort going into choosing what to use was overcoming the joy of using. Or at least that is how I am taking what you wrote. I like what you wrote, "to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff." That is some serious reflection on your part, kudos. Seriously. Enjoy what we have, quit being only consumers. As Mike has posted, "Love people, not things." (I think I got it right?)

Have a good day Paul! Appreciate you and your thoughts!

Yeah, that is basically the gist of it. Honestly, I wasn't thinking that deep. More so, I need to stop doing this to myself... Wanting to keep trying something new just to have it fail or not be all I hoped for. Which is basically the same mindset, or a precursor to such.

Yep ... Love people, use things because the other way around sounds as bad as it is. Lol.

Unless Shave Forge sourced their silvertip from Yaqi, you may be pleasantly surprised! But I am a glass half full guy, if I am not burying my head in the sand!

I don't know where they source from, but the SF is fine feeling. The problem remains building a lather. It's probably a standout bowl latherer, but I rarely do that. I could just go back to the puck and reload. But it's annoying when my synths will load 4-5 passes without issue, work effortlessly, and feel fantastic. Maybe I'm simply doing something wrong?

Whatever the issue is, I think I'm ready to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff. As it is, I have a hard time picking what brush to use. The choices are quite plentiful, and all work great.

I think I understand. It sounds like what I described as my stuff owning me, and the effort going into choosing what to use was overcoming the joy of using. Or at least that is how I am taking what you wrote. I like what you wrote, "to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff." That is some serious reflection on your part, kudos. Seriously. Enjoy what we have, quit being only consumers. As Mike has posted, "Love people, not things." (I think I got it right?)

Have a good day Paul! Appreciate you and your thoughts!

Eric, I completely agree with what you’re saying. At some point along the way the quest for a good shave became a quest for a “perfect shave” made “possible” by finding the perfect hardware/software. Every day the pressure of choosing the right/pleasing/perfect products is made more difficult not just by having to choose from among a large and possibly growing stock of products, but also pressure from the products you didn’t choose. The opportunity cost-for every product you choose there are x number of products you didn’t choose that may have been better. Of course this type of thinking is completely dysfunctional and runs counter to the whole reason I got into wet shaving. To have a great shave through a pleasant, enjoyable meditative process. The means to that end became the end in itself thus undermining the whole point. Enjoyment, relaxation and meditation. I find myself using some favourite soap and thinking “this is nice” then the little voice says “yeah, but not as nice as…” and there, the shave might not be ruined but it is ever so slightly diminished. It’s a counter-gratitude way of thinking where you regret what you don’t have rather than being grateful for what you do have. The solution is to better control your thinking and direct it towards gratitude and maybe PIFing all that stuff you have that might be undermining that gratitude. I don’t know but in the words of Red Green, we’re all in this together, we’re pulling for you. And keep your stick on the ice.

I could not agree more with these thoughts and keep trying to bring my thinking under control. I keep trying to reduce especially soaps and some other hardware down to just the stuff that I know I enjoy and don't have to worry about what I'm missing out on. Really appreciate all the thoughts from you guys above!

Marko this perfectly describes what I feel sometimes, "but also pressure from the products you didn’t choose."

Very much appreciate your input, and love the Red Green quote!

Here's me in a nutshell (yes, I'm the nut)... As some of you have seen I have a framed print of a Gillette old type ad. After years I decided I should really change it to a razor I would actually use. I recently found an ad for a 47 super speed (tabs), which I have. So I replaced the ad in the frame.

Also in the ad (because Gillette wasn't actually "selling" the razors back then) is the most prominent piece: a Gillette blue-blade dispenser with 20 blades. Obviously, I absolutely had to have the exact same display. Ala, I went to eBay and found an old 20 Blu-blade dispenser.

It's enroute now to sit alongside my razor. I won't use whatever blades are in there, it will literally just sit just on the shelf next to the razor so my shelf matches the picture. I'm a sick sick man.

To misquote an old song, I'm down with your sickness! I think it makes perfect sense and I think it is very cool decorating!

Oh, and I got the blades that you sent me. To add another quote, this one from the Guinness ads, Brilliant! Using the bigger post-it note to hold the blade, simply brilliant! Thanks, brother!

VERY nice Paul ! I have a bunch of ads I need to get framed and up but I'm lazy......

To misquote an old song, I'm down with your sickness! I think it makes perfect sense and I think it is very cool decorating!

Oh, and I got the blades that you sent me. To add another quote, this one from the Guinness ads, Brilliant! Using the bigger post-it note to hold the blade, simply brilliant! Thanks, brother!

Thanks Eric.

No problem, I'm surprised they arrived that quick. Hopefully you find them a good blade.

VERY nice Paul ! I have a bunch of ads I need to get framed and up but I'm lazy......

Thanks Dave.

I've kept to the one, so far. Mostly because I have limited wall space, as my bathroom is really a closet with delusions of grandeur.