A sign of the Shavepocalypse?

[Topgumby]

My fellow wet shavers, look not to silly, pretentious Fusions made out of gaudy metals and aimed at folks with more dough than sense as the source of our doom.

Somewhere, there is a cheap plastic disposable razor with your name on it.

No, it's not in a WalMart in the USA. It's in some remote corner of Egypt, or India, or China. There, some guy who has been using a DE razor his whole life is reaching for that razor of our doom. He's not a hobby shaver, he doesn't post here, but he's DE all the way because it's what he can afford.

He's reaching for that disposable because it's now cheap, easy, and it's modern, and it's a little touch of affluence that is now within his economic reach. He's really no different in that respect than the US shaver was in 1971.

When enough of his neighbors across the world join him, we are toast.

There will probably be a cottage industry making DE blades for die hards, but those still dabbling in them will wistfully talk of the old days when they were affordable. Our little hobby will then be like jousting on horseback, something so antiquated, barbaric and requiring equipment so expensive that it won't be an alternative, but a curiosity.

That's the Shavepocalypse. It started in 1971, took over much of the world, and stopped, because there are some people too poor to be bowled over by marketing, but it never went away, and now it's slowly advancing.

 

[Stubblefield]

for a $150 you could get sooo much better shave gear.

They charge that much for it so the blades look cheap in comparison.

 

[azmark]

And that's why I refuse to buy any AoS products. My barbershop uses their products but I take my own aftershave.

 

[Bluemidknight]

Wow!
Thats scary.. all the razor companies closing. I guess this prediction as been written for a long while..
Should I start stockpiling up on Feather blades and wrapping them in oil cloth for a buried cache somewhere????

I mean seriously, I mentioned to my grandfather about me starting on using DEs he said he is still working on the same box of blades he bought in the 60s and he changes one blade a week...

 

[Topgumby]

"They talked about shortages, but I didn't listen. I thought cheap blades would last forever. Today, I went to load a Derby in the Slim and...all gone. I looked in the travel kit. Nothing.

I guess I'll bury those old razors in the back yard...maybe I'll whistle the "Look Sharp March" as I tamp the cold earth down over them.

Then, I'll go to the MegaMart and surrender my soul to Proctor and Gamble. Maybe if I don't look in the mirror while I shave I won't start crying...."

 

[Lo'Tek]

I just lost my last remaining vestige of respect for The Art Of Shaving. . .and what will Gellete think of next, putting batteries in razors? Oh yea, they did that.

This is a sign of the time brothers.

 

[Cmaster03]

"They talked about shortages, but I didn't listen. I thought cheap blades would last forever. Today, I went to load a Derby in the Slim and...all gone. I looked in the travel kit. Nothing.

I guess I'll bury those old razors in the back yard...maybe I'll whistle the "Look Sharp March" as I tamp the cold earth down over them.

Then, I'll go to the MegaMart and surrender my soul to Proctor and Gamble. Maybe if I don't look in the mirror while I shave I won't start crying...."

 

[Swampfox]

"First they came for the Art of Shaving, and I didn't care because I used a different soap . . ."

rotflol!!!!!

 

[blantyre]

And don't overlook the fact that some of the razors with built in motors are really just a plot to sell batteries along with blades - it's no coincidence that Gillette bought Duracell - it's all part of the masterplan!

I'm just glad that I loaded up on P&G stock about 10 years ago when it got really cheap! It should enable me to fund my shaving hobby in later life.

 

[kzoo1]

These kits have been around for ages and appeal to a certain market, people with too much cash

Yet again proving the old adage: "There's a sucker born every minute".

OR:

"There's a sucker overpaying for substandard shave gear every second."

 

[gurana]

I tell you, I don't know what to make of AOS... they recently put one up at Union Station in Washington, DC. On the outside they have on display some really beautiful brushes... none of which I've inspected closely to see if they're any good. The other thing they have is all types of cartridge based razors in really beautiful materials and designs. But I didn't have to be a shaving expert to think to myself, "are these M3 razors really the epitome of a fine shaving experience?" I went inside one a couple of weeks ago and for the most part it's more of the same. They did have one case with a modest selection of merkur DEs (I beleive they had the Vision, Futur, and perhaps the Progress... maybe one more) and a couple of Dovo straights.

I've read that their shaving soaps, pre-shave treatments, AS... are good, and perhaps worth trying, but on the whole, the place gives me the impression that they're focused more on the appearance of luxury rather than a quality shave. The OPs link doesn't really do much to change that opinion.

 

[Obsessed]

My fellow wet shavers, look not to silly, pretentious Fusions made out of gaudy metals and aimed at folks with more dough than sense as the source of our doom.

Somewhere, there is a cheap plastic disposable razor with your name on it.

No, it's not in a WalMart in the USA. It's in some remote corner of Egypt, or India, or China. There, some guy who has been using a DE razor his whole life is reaching for that razor of our doom. He's not a hobby shaver, he doesn't post here, but he's DE all the way because it's what he can afford.

He's reaching for that disposable because it's now cheap, easy, and it's modern, and it's a little touch of affluence that is now within his economic reach. He's really no different in that respect than the US shaver was in 1971.

When enough of his neighbors across the world join him, we are toast.

There will probably be a cottage industry making DE blades for die hards, but those still dabbling in them will wistfully talk of the old days when they were affordable. Our little hobby will then be like jousting on horseback, something so antiquated, barbaric and requiring equipment so expensive that it won't be an alternative, but a curiosity.

That's the Shavepocalypse. It started in 1971, took over much of the world, and stopped, because there are some people too poor to be bowled over by marketing, but it never went away, and now it's slowly advancing.

Jeez, man, what a downer! I started this thread as a joke and now I'm feeling vaguely despondent!