I splurged on a Schick Krona of eBay. $8 w free shipping. Added 100 Gillette platinums for $10. All set for the year unless the krona craps out. Not sure how that will happen unless I run over it with my truck, which is unlikely.
Does Cost Matter?
- Thread starter Mike the Beginner
- Start date
Cost does matter IMO. More expensive razors are GENERALLY better than cheap ones.
But… does my $300 Wolfman shave better than my $12 Wilkinson Sword? ABSOLUTELY! Does it shave 25x better? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Any razor over around $60-70 is where you start seeing diminishing returns IMO. A $75+ razor will generally look much prettier, have better fit and finish and possibly be made with better materials. It may shave better than a $10 flea market vintage Gillette Tech or a $50 pot metal Rockwell 6C, but maybe not depending on the user.
In any case, I love my Wolfman Razors, but also love my much less expensive Razorocks, Vintage Gillettes, Karve and Rockwell 6S. The Wolfman razors seem to shave a bit better than the rest, but some of that may admittedly be in my head.
But… does my $300 Wolfman shave better than my $12 Wilkinson Sword? ABSOLUTELY! Does it shave 25x better? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Any razor over around $60-70 is where you start seeing diminishing returns IMO. A $75+ razor will generally look much prettier, have better fit and finish and possibly be made with better materials. It may shave better than a $10 flea market vintage Gillette Tech or a $50 pot metal Rockwell 6C, but maybe not depending on the user.
In any case, I love my Wolfman Razors, but also love my much less expensive Razorocks, Vintage Gillettes, Karve and Rockwell 6S. The Wolfman razors seem to shave a bit better than the rest, but some of that may admittedly be in my head.
Someone just posted this link to El Cheap Price point Razor, looks like cold be Best Buy.
Again starting out I would, as a many has stated focus on skills. Tools, good tools with value.
Check in later and tell...
If you keep buying with will keep chasing.
But hey, it is your money, your time, your face, your shave...
Oh, have a fun fun too.
BFX
Check in later and tell...
If you keep buying with will keep chasing.
But hey, it is your money, your time, your face, your shave...
Oh, have a fun fun too.
BFX
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Lucky you, there is so much excellent shaving products that it can make your head spin
. The competition is fierce and there are certain brands that stand out with value & price and others that are excellently manufactured with the latest exotic metal but can be pricy, to some folks price does not really matter I have discovered over the years and they are happy usually with their purchase of a nice expensive product.There are excellent vintage razors that had a pile of research done on them back decades ago when labor was cheap and they offer good value also + there are some excellent modern day razors that are also very awesome to use and where not made for the shaving masses(different time of the shaving Golden era when safety razors where just taking over straight razors.)
A 60 dollar razor and a 600 dollar razor might give good similar results but to get excellent results technique is still king and knowing your beard grain direction(Beard map) will let you shave with any razor ever made over time IMO.
Enjoy what you have and just figure what you want down the road or just be content is about all I can say.
I drew a line in the sand at 200 dollars.
The cost matters in the sense that it will be a filter on the pool of customers likely to buy it. But if it is made with sufficient quality, it will sell regardless.
Does it matter to the shave performance? It can, but not always. And it'll be subjective anyways.
Does it matter to the shave performance? It can, but not always. And it'll be subjective anyways.
Hi Mike, Welcome to B&B! Scanned your various posts and appreciate your thoughtful comments and approach to shaving.
Regarding this topic for core shaving performance cost does not matter that much. My first razor was an under $5 (roughly $20-25 in today's dollars) Gillette Black Beauty used during my college years that was excellent. Since returning to DE shaving four+ years ago I've landed on three excellent razors for under $15 each including a Weishi Long Handle, King C. Gillette (sale price of $12) and most recently a Razorock Adjust for $8.
All three of these are well machined with nice chrome finishes. The four+ year old Weishi shows no sign of any deterioration.
At the higher price points one will get better materials, like stainless or titanium, and more precise engineering that is often reflected in unique or collectable designs. Fully appreciate that these features are appreciated by many. For me my razor just needs to be engineered with the right geometry for a consistent blade angle/exposure with mild to moderate aggressiveness. Not expecting lifetime heirloom items at a sub $15 price point. Just a well designed tool that gets the job done with a reasonable 5-10 year lifespan.
This is also true of shaving brushes, should you decide to experiment with shaving soap in addition to foam, as there are excellent synthetic and boar brushes readily available for under $10-15. My three brushes (two 26mm plissoft and one boar) were purchased for under $10 each. Again lots of options ranging into $100's of dollars for those who prefer badger knots and/or bespoke collectables etc.
P.S. Regarding you post about the use of shaving foam if it works stick with it. Nothing wrong with using it and it's what I used during my college years. What I like about shaving soap and a brush is that it provides us with a rare opportunity to custom craft a finished product for personal use. Something very rare today. Over time I've learned how to build slicker lather than even my reserve can of Barbasol that is occasionally used if time is really short.
P.S.S. Having looked at the quality of your posts you may want to consider seeing if you can get the "Beginner" term removed or replaced in you B&B name.
Automobiles have become less differentiated for many manufacturers in recent years due to the need for ever increasing economies of scale. Look at Lexus and Toyota sedans for example. For other than the flagship Lexus the core chassis and drive trains are identical (2.5L4 & 8 speed automatic) with all the differences in added bell and whistle options such as a bigger touch screen (that often has the exact same software). Years ago when I acquired a Honda Accord we looked at the Acura TL sedan. Basically the same car with the main difference, beyond added options, a CVT in the former versus a very problematic 8 speed in the Acura. Glad we got the more reliable car by choosing the lower cost option.
You are right that at ultra low price points there are some Lemons like my $6 Lord L6 with excessive blade exposure and $5 Ming Shi 3000s where the blade almost always tilts due to reliance on springs in the adjustment mechanism. Most of those can be avoided thanks to the many reviews here. When the razor is newly released, like the Ming Shi, the ultra low cost mitigates almost all of the risk. My four year razor journey has delivered three excellent under $15 razors for a fraction of the cost of many single razors out there even when the price of my two failed experiments are included.
Isn't there a spectrum here that includes acquiring a quality item at a reasonable price (vs. really cheap or free) that is well engineered to do an excellent job without bells and whistles or exotic materials? One can take pride in that they made an excellent purchase decision even if the item isn't a collectable or luxury item they want to show off.
P.S. I'm enjoying reading through and commenting on the various posts in this thread. One of the better and thoughtful discussions we've had here on B&B.
I'm 70 and have only "owned" one new vehicle. I say "owned" because it was also the only leased vehicle I've had: a full size Dodge van I used for work. All the rest of our cars have been purchased used. We just replaced two Toyota Avalons: a 2002 and a 2004. They had both served us well.... 285K on the 2002 and 176K on the 2004.
We chose Lexus ES 350s this time around. Why? We got lucky and found a 2020 for my wife and a 2016 for me, both with just over 50K miles on them. They were cheaper by a few thousand than any of the Avalons available when we looked around.. with at least half the miles. It seemed odd to us, but we aren't complaining. They are the nicest cars we've ever owned... Before that, the Avalons were the best cars we'd had.
You hit the nail on the head - there is a spectrum and we each find our preferred sweet spot on it.
Believe that, like Van Der Hagen, these are just rebranded Weishi 9306 razors. Well executed advertisement that compares a butterfly to an old vintage tech style head.
Like you, I have the 2C. I decided that I needed a little more aggression, and so bought the 2/4 plate separately - so I actually have a Rockwell 4C - and those two plates, 4 options, serve me extremely well. The 4C is my favourite razor, hands-down, for comfort, agility and adaptability. I bought a Rockwell T2 and that, too, is an extremely good razor, with the advantage of many degrees of adjustability. It's also the most expensive razor I've bought, at CAD $180 - but I do think it's worth it.
My next most expensive razor is a Rex Ambassador. I scored that used for CAD 175, but new, it's double that amount in CAD. It's stainless steel, adjustable, and extremely well made; but I don't prefer it to the T2. It's a nice shave, but both my Rockwells are more comfortable.
So too are my vintage Gillettes. All of them. I have a variety, including Rockets, a Flair Tip (silver), Fatboys, Slims, and a Super Adjustable. All of them bought for less than $90 each (and in the case of one of the Fatboys and a Slim, $15 each). They're all smooth, fun, and easier to use than the (much) more expensive Ambassador. And if you look after them, clean them, and don't throw them around, there's no reason why they won't last for a very long time.
Of course, I'd love to have a Blackland razor - but I honestly cannot justify spending that much on a new razor. Hopefully I can get one second hand, as I did with the Ambassador; but $300-$400 on a new SS or titanium razor, when I already have so many great, fun, low-cost options, just isn't something I can bring myself to do.
If I win the lottery though...
When I first moved away from cartridge razors even the cost of a quality chrome razor seemed expensive but I now appreciate that if I want good materials like 316 stainless steel and the razor to be made in good working conditions in a developed politically aligned country such as UK, USA, Canada or Japan (not just a western reseller for a sweatshop in China) then a razor is going to cost around 100 GBP / 130 USD new sometimes a bit more or less.
I've learned that high end plating is not worth paying for (sold my Rhodium Rex Ambassador and Revamp Rockwell 6S) and that buying used is fine if you are careful although I tend to only do that for vintage or where I cannot buy a modern razor new or at a price I can justify. If you buy a quality razor at a fair price it should hold it's value well in the resale market provided you happy to wait for the right buyer. Long term with inflation the resale price of a used razor goes back up to the new price although yes there probably are more lucrative options at least razors as an asset class offer diversification within an investment portfolio of shares, bonds, property, infrastructure, etc.
I don't really have a view on the more boutique brands of razors like Wolfman where the cost is so much higher but can see they have lower economies of scale so while the money might not improve the quality of the razor if both sides in the transaction are happy that's fine but it's not for me as there seems to be enough choice with the higher volume producers who offer lower prices but then if you really like a boutique razor and that's the price you are willing to pay then so be it.
I've learned that high end plating is not worth paying for (sold my Rhodium Rex Ambassador and Revamp Rockwell 6S) and that buying used is fine if you are careful although I tend to only do that for vintage or where I cannot buy a modern razor new or at a price I can justify. If you buy a quality razor at a fair price it should hold it's value well in the resale market provided you happy to wait for the right buyer. Long term with inflation the resale price of a used razor goes back up to the new price although yes there probably are more lucrative options at least razors as an asset class offer diversification within an investment portfolio of shares, bonds, property, infrastructure, etc.
I don't really have a view on the more boutique brands of razors like Wolfman where the cost is so much higher but can see they have lower economies of scale so while the money might not improve the quality of the razor if both sides in the transaction are happy that's fine but it's not for me as there seems to be enough choice with the higher volume producers who offer lower prices but then if you really like a boutique razor and that's the price you are willing to pay then so be it.
