Zebulon Vitruvius Pike (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dime_novel_hero) wrote2023-07-28 05:00 pm
dime_novel_hero) wrote2023-07-28 05:00 pm
More Shaving Stuff
Having done a number of presentations at steampunk conventions on “The Century of the Beard” and also being a beard owner, I have amassed a collection of beard care products. Beard balm, mustache wax, shaving scuttles, razors and, of course brushes. And, even though I don’t need more, and am not actively building an actual collection (though I would like some shelves to display what I already have), I have taken advantage of the local Buy Nothing forum to get some more stuff.
In this case, the first piece is a basic synthetic fiber shaving brush from The Body Shop. It’s listed online with about a $10 value but for some reason Walmart listed them for an insanely inflated $37. That’s the kind of price I paid for a genuine boar’s hair brush.
The second piece was a wooden shaving cup. I was unable to determine its pedigree but figured it was from a similar source and was probably worth about the same value.
Finally, there was an unused soap puck from Williams. Now, you might think a bar of soap would not cost much but shaving soap tends to be more expensive for some unexplained reason. Even a simple, small puck of shaving soap is at least a few dollars. But looking up this particular brand was coming up with prices starting at $20 and going up from there! It’s 1.7 ounces of soap and there are people asking $50 for a puck!
Doing a little research, I found that this particular product was discontinued just last year. The company has been in business since 1840 so there will be versions that are vintage or antique, but paying $50 for a bar of soap (with no way that I can tell to determine if this was bought half a century ago in pristine condition or if it’s just a box bought last year that got a little more beat up) is crazy.
In this case, the first piece is a basic synthetic fiber shaving brush from The Body Shop. It’s listed online with about a $10 value but for some reason Walmart listed them for an insanely inflated $37. That’s the kind of price I paid for a genuine boar’s hair brush.
The second piece was a wooden shaving cup. I was unable to determine its pedigree but figured it was from a similar source and was probably worth about the same value.
Finally, there was an unused soap puck from Williams. Now, you might think a bar of soap would not cost much but shaving soap tends to be more expensive for some unexplained reason. Even a simple, small puck of shaving soap is at least a few dollars. But looking up this particular brand was coming up with prices starting at $20 and going up from there! It’s 1.7 ounces of soap and there are people asking $50 for a puck!
Doing a little research, I found that this particular product was discontinued just last year. The company has been in business since 1840 so there will be versions that are vintage or antique, but paying $50 for a bar of soap (with no way that I can tell to determine if this was bought half a century ago in pristine condition or if it’s just a box bought last year that got a little more beat up) is crazy.
It’s soap, guys. Soap.
