Shaving sure has gotten expensive.

Back in April, 2014 I wrote this item about shaving:

Lex Anteinternet: Shaving:

West Point Cadet shaving with a straight razor in the field.

The first thing I do every weekday, or at least every weekday that I work downtown, is shave.

I don't really like shaving.  I don't want to grow a beard however, so shave I must.  I've been shaving, but not every day, since I was 13 years old. .  .

As noted there, I don't like shaving much, and I went on to expand on that a bit:

As noted, I frankly don't care much for it, and I'd likely skip shaving a lot of days if I had the option.  It sort of irritates my skin, and it's just not something that I look forward to doing in any fashion.  Still, for the most part it's been part of my daily routine for decades.  Having said that, prior to my practicing law, I'd skip days now and then, including week days, and I still skip Saturdays usually.  Just because I don't like it.

In my entry, I discussed razors quote a bit, including safety razors and disposable razors, and the modern razor must of us guys use.

Patent drawing for the Gillette safety razor.

What I didn't discuss is how freaking expensive its become to shave.  It's flat out ridiculous. 

As my beard is fairly heavy, I go through a fair number of razor blades shaving.  I stretch as long as I can, but unlike one pundit on cheapness I heard on this, I can't make a blade last a year, or even months.  I sure try, but they start cutting me up as they get dull, or they get painful to use, so I change them.  Every time I buy more, I cringe.

Well, just the other day I stopped by to buy new blades, as I had none.  Holy cow, they were way up there.  You could actually get packs of 20 or something that were up over $40.00, which just seems flat out absurd.  A pack of safety razor blades sure didn't cost that.  The small pack I bought shouldn't cost anything near what it does.

I really, truly, don't get it.  Yes, modern disposable razor blades are easier to use that safety razor blades were and they are no doubt way easier to use than straight razors, but this kind of cost? What the heck?

Indeed, this is so pricey that I'm actually considering blade alternatives.  With a heavy beard, can I get buy with an electric shaver (which I don't like)?  Should I join that shaving club I see advertised all the time, which my son now informs me has just been purchased by a one of the razor companies?  Should I try to learn how to use the dreaded straight razor?  Maybe in the fall, I'll grow a short beard.

Yes, I know that's being really cheap.  And yes, I  understand the nature of a market economy.  But man, these prices are absurd.

Henry Cabot Lodge, not a shaver.  Maybe I'll follow his example.