How much gear is your “ideal”?

Wrestle with this issue of materialism in a world desperately needing activism and funding. To that end have been purging but not nearly enough, using the funds for animal rescue.

Ideally:
Razors - probably DE due to being old fat man and increasingly difficult to shave straight edge (even though strong preference for damascus straights and pleasure of real man’s shave) 2: daily and multiday growth probably DE. Currently would have to be 0,54 and 0,67 polished Wolfman WR1. Love my BBS and prob acquire a WR2 as they are my favourite DE but WR1s are perfect tools

Brush - 2: 1 travel collapsable handle and home brush. Currently Simpson Chubby 2 2 band but considering a Dec Grooming if can ever try one. Need sell final Kents: BK2 andTR are imminent

Soap - unfortunately found none better than Grooming Dept unscented due to hypersensative skin. Given supply inconsistency need to keep excess stock so 2 of each base formulation equals 10 containers.

Preshave again GD so need at least 1 reserve to assure access equals 2

Postshave again GD so need have 2 to have access. Use ABC balm so can be down to 1 knowing they will deliver timely yet have 3 for shipping savings

AS - Pitralon and 1 of each but also have some Floid and others. May sell off some

Frag - down to about 15 high quality and trying to rationalize. For example finding a citrus that lasts would eliminate 5 bottles of loved lines that just have no longevity on my skin

Bottomline is purged a lot in recent months and need purge more. Found what works

Great question. I'm pretty happy with my gear level.

One of each of the brush styles: boar, badger, and synthetic (Semogue, Shavmac, and Yaqi, respectively)

One razor that I couldn't put down after trying a half dozen top rated razors: Rockwell 6C

Twenty soaps between B&M, Mike's, Caties, PAA, and Wholly Kaw (will add Eufros soon)

Thayers and Humphrey's witch hazels

Great question. I'm pretty happy with my gear level.

One of each of the brush styles: boar, badger, and synthetic (Semogue, Shavmac, and Yaqi, respectively)

One razor that I couldn't put down after trying a half dozen top rated razors: Rockwell 6C

Twenty soaps between B&M, Mike's, Caties, PAA, and Wholly Kaw (will add Eufros soon)

Thayers and Humphrey's witch hazels

Thank you. I was very happy to see your post, for two reasons...

(1) a 6c, not a 6s. I'm sure the 6s rocks, but the 6c (which I have as well) is a great razor. I've been using the Karve recently, but if I only had my 6c, I'd still be content.

(2) twenty soaps... I'm about at that level. I feel it's too many at times... like the scents will fade on me before I use them up. Still, I love them all. Glad to see others calling this number ideal

What a good start to the morning.

"Ideal" would be more, convenient storage and not get rid of a thing!

I already have way too much shave loot of all kinds. I have sold a few brushes and razors in the past year. I should unload a ton more. The problem that I have is that I truly enjoy variety. Every single thing provides me with a different experience in shaving. I also have a problem with parting with things. So...

On the plus side, I don't think I've purchased any shaving soaps since Barrister's Reserve Seville and Lisa's Doc Holiday. There was a time in the past 4 years that I had new soaps coming in weekly(sometimes multiples.) So, I guess that is some improvement on controlling acquisitions. Right?(someone please tell me that is "right!")

Nice thread

Brushes:
EJ L synthetic
B&M synthetic
Simpsons synthetic Chubby and/or Duke
Maseto 2-band 24mm "Spectrum"



Razors:
Razorock .84-p
Rockwell 6s or 6c
Colonial General (if I need AC)
Blackland Sabre (if I need GEM)




Blades:
Gillette Platinum



Soaps/Creams:
Part of me wants to say Hundreds, because I can't control myself here. (This is what I have already)
Another part of me wants 1-2 dozen.

1 DE Razor - Charcoal Goods - Level 1
1 Brush - 2-Band Eilte Razor
3 Soaps & Matching AS - T&S


I’ve gotten very simple now, after having a load of high end DE razors and at one point over 30 different soap and AS and multiple badger brushes. I’ve actually found it much more enjoyable once I sized down, less thinking of what soap today, what razor should I use, what brush, what blade...

So today, I had a shave with my ATT h1 loaded with a Green Russian 7 o'clock blade on the first use. I used ToBS Mr. Taylor cream along with Razorock american barbershop croap loaded on a GFTrumper GT3 brush. I got the best shave I've had in my entire life today. The only thing that would have been better is if the brush hadn't shed 4-5 hairs.
I got a super, super close shave which I do get with other things but the difference today is that there was no burning or razor irritation.