How long have you been wetshaving the traditional way?

I am curious how long members/contributors here have been engaged in our obsession of wetshaving. For me it has been 10 years and, frankly, I find myself getting a bit weary of the same questions and topics. I was thinking that maybe the bulk of those active on the boards are relative newbies, between beginners and those about 5-6 years into it. So, why wonder when all I have to do is ask?

So far, it is about even- about 50% less than five years, and about 50% more than five years. It looks like my notion that newbies are the more quantitatively significant portion of the membership is dead wrong! I admit it. I have now earned the right to keep my trap shut!!

Thanks for participating.

Ted, I, for one, enjoy the newbies and some of the questions being asked multiple times.  We all started somewhere (in my case 11-12 years ago) and because an "old timer" took the time to answer a question from me that he probably heard more than once, I was able to grow.  What makes this hobby so interesting is, indeed, the new bright-eyed members, the incredible new products that have surfaced in the last five years or so, as well as the classics that have been around for 100 years or more.  There is always a technique that pops up that perhaps I hadn't tried before, even if it has been around for many years.

I understand your weariness; it happens.  However, try coming at it from a different perspective and don't give up just yet.

45+ years. Yes same questions do come up again and again but hey when I started there where no forums and you had to learn from your grandpa ;-)

The questions remain the same, but there's always something new — new soaps to try, new razors to yearn for, new brushes, and of course, new people. They help keep the conversation lively and interesting.

...frankly, I find myself getting a bit weary of the same questions and topics.  

Yeah. Like this one.

But for what it's worth, I've been shaving with water, soap or cream, and razor blades for 50 years.

Almost 6 years for me. Still thankful that I stumbled upon this.

It'll be 2 years in February for me. Best thing I've ever done for my daily hygiene routine. I'll never go back to cartridges and "canned goo" again!

It'll be 2 years in February for me. Best thing I've ever done for my daily hygiene routine. I'll never go back to cartridges and "canned goo" again!

Wow. Cool.

It will be 2 years for me on February 10th! Although for the first year or so I was strictly a one brush, cream, razor person.

I learned to traditional shave, back when I was 14-15 years old.  Of course just for the stray wisker mind you. But after I joined the military, shaving was the routine and it went quick as all get out!  Never really thought about it, unless I developed a bad case of PFB from shaving myself to the bone. lol
Then of course, you get the electric shavers from gifts and the need to shave quickly in the car or travel.  But now, at 42 years old, I find that if you can slow yourself down and get some private time....You're doing it well.  If that means 30-45 mins in the bathroom in the afternoon, babying my face and living it up...Well then, so be it.  Me time comes not so often.  And for me, its definately theraputic stress relief.

Well, in a few more days, I could have voted “Between five and ten years” — I placed the order for my first “real” razor, a Weber DLC, on the 29th of January, 2012.