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Род выложил в фейсбуке:

I posted a version of this on an internet forum, but I wanted to get your thoughts on this, as on a personal level your thoughts are vital to Mandy and I and our future. Let me preface the following statements by saying that Mandy and I are doing great. Stirling Soap is on solid footing and preparing to continue to expand our product line so that she and I can hand this business to our son one day, should he so desire. Has Stirling Soap made us wealthy? Not it in the least. Do we love what we do and the life we lead? Absolutely. Even on the worst days. So below is my inquiry of you.

This is something that I’ve been pondering for some time and considering posting, and I thought that now seemed to be the right time with the recent news of closures of two prominent businesses within the wetshaving community (for those not in the loop, Strop Shoppe and Knockout Shave both announced the shuttering of their businesses within the past two weeks). This is a post borne of genuine curiosity, not just as someone who loves the act of wetshaving, but also as someone who literally has dedicated his life and family’s wellbeing to it.

What is the future of wetshaving? Is this a fad that will meet the same end as eight ball jackets, ska, beanie babies, and hopefully very soon skinny jeans for men and lumbersexuals? Is it merely a temporary protest measure against the ridiculous pricing models of Gillette and Schick? Is it a quaint dose of nostalgia we hold onto as we lose our grandfathers, and in doing so lose the last real generation to have grown up in a time when wetshaving was the only option? Is this a pseudo-hobby that will reach an apex soon and then slowly trickle away leaving many with so much gear that they have purchased that no longer holds the same monetary or sentimental value? Or is this a true revival and renaissance of something that is truly better and should have never been lost?

For you, the wetshaver: Do you truly find that your shave is not only more enjoyable from an aesthetic point of view, but also in terms of the end result when compared to multiblade cartridges and canned foam or gel? How much groupthink is involved in all of this, meaning wetshavers who got better results from cartridge razors but are nevertheless plodding along trying to find that moment where it clicks, yet are still enjoying the ride and being a part of the club? How many of you have absolutely found how you will shave until you reach fiddler’s green? How many (especially those who are new to it) are still on the fence? How many of you would go back to cartridges if prices were slashed by 50% tomorrow? 75%? When is enough enough – where acquisition of new goods levels off and becomes something you buy as you need it, rather than keeping enough on hand to wet shave Texas?

Finally what can be done to ensure the future viability of wetshaving?This is an important question for Mandy and I. Buying gifts of wetshaving is a start, but not always something the receiver of the gift will continue. What can be done outside of this to introduce new shavers who may be just as frustrated with their current shaving setup, but may not have ever stumbled upon the wacky world of wetshaving? What can be done for those who are new to wetshaving (and struggling, perhaps) to convince them to keep going, to put in the due diligence to make it second nature? What can be done to make it more inclusive for women, who are so often overlooked as equally important to the future of shaving?

Thanks in advance to any and all who take the time to share your thoughts.

Rod