Gillette British Hybrid Tech razor? Why so expensive?

[sidpost]

Why are the Gillette British Hybrid Tech razors so expensive? Is it just an issue of collectors driving the market up?

For $300, there are a lot of other good options out there. I have looked off and on for a British Aristocrat but, those are available in very limited numbers too and run into the hundreds of dollars as well. I think those Aristocrats sell so high due to limited numbers, the Rhodium finish, and collectors. Is this the same case for the Gillette British Hybrid Tech razors?

TIA,
Sid

 

[NorthernSoul]

They are just more rare. The English "raised flat bottom" Tech is much more expensive than the regular "flat bottom" Tech for similar reasons.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

It is nothing more than madness rarity for those who are collectors. Additionally the hybrid is a slightly better shaver than any other Tech, just that little bit more 'efficient', for no reason that makes any sense. Just ask anyone who owns one, they will be sure to tell you. If you have any doubts about that then you cannot express a valid opinion because you have not tried one. Strangely that same argument seems to apply to many other rare razors, they are so good it makes one wonder why they were not made in much greater numbers

 

[sidpost]

... razors, they are so good it makes one wonder why they were not made in much greater numbers

With the British versions, I suspect it was a post-WW2 issue with the economy and general affluence to afford these premium razors. That was likely a big factor for the limited numbers. Time has probably taken a big toll on general numbers as well. Finding the basic British Tech's has been reasonably easy for me though which I attribute to their relatively cheap price back when they were commonly sold in Pharmacies, Grocery stores, etc. so numbers in general circulation were more significant.

I ran into similar issues when looking for a French DE razor a couple of years ago. Small numbers were produced in the tough economy of Post-WW2 France so, pretty rare for that reason and the losses from use and disuse over time certainly didn't help their availability today.

Maybe I need to go to Europe/UK to hit flea markets to find those UNICORN razors.

 

[DesertIguana]

Supply & Demand drives prices. Collector of rare collectible drive price up.

Was listing to radio some kids toy that is hot item for Christmas sells retail. Problem is supply has dried up, so reseller are getting three times retail.

MSN

 

[Guido75]

Maybe I need to go to Europe/UK to hit flea markets to find those UNICORN razors.

Aristocrats are certainly more available in this side. Both SB and OC versions. And on flea markets even more so. Saw one two weeks ago for $45 in very good condition. But in the bay it’s usually $80-100 not including shipping.

Any specific ones you are looking for?

 

[sidpost]

Any specific ones you are looking for?

British Aristocrat searches:

) I really want a Rhodium 3rd Generation most! I don't really care about the boxes and other things, wanting a good razor with some "bling" I can shave with occasionally.

) Next up is a Rhodium OC 1st Generation. I love the way those look and suspect they would be a good one for special occasion shaves.

A 2nd Generation in Rhodium or a 4th Generation in Rhodium or Nickel would make me super happy as well! Though my primary searches are for the 3rd and 1st Gens, I would be thrilled to find a nice sample of the 2nd and 4th Gens!

If I could find one with cosmetic finish wear priced well without any real mechanical damage or general corrosion, I would be tempted to send it off to Backroads Gold for a bright nickel refinish if I need to. Obviously, it is probably best to hold out for a nice sample that is in good cosmetic condition and isn't >$300USD but, with inflation that price target is probably moving up.

 

[Big_T]

Why are the Gillette British Hybrid Tech razors so expensive? Is it just an issue of collectors driving the market up?

For $300, there are a lot of other good options out there. I have looked off and on for a British Aristocrat but, those are available in very limited numbers too and run into the hundreds of dollars as well. I think those Aristocrats sell so high due to limited numbers, the Rhodium finish, and collectors. Is this the same case for the Gillette British Hybrid Tech razors?

TIA,
Sid

It's the law of supply and demand.

A couple of years ago I sold a Jeep for $4,000 more than I had paid for it used, one year earlier. Anything, from razors to airplanes is only worth what someone will pay for it.

 

[sidpost]

It's the law of supply and demand.

A couple of years ago I sold a Jeep for $4,000 more than I had paid for it used, one year earlier. Anything, from razors to airplanes is only worth what someone will pay for it.

Long ago, I was a Federal Firearms Licensee and sold custom and near-custom knives so, I totally get the Supply and Demand thing and business "from both sides of the sales table".

What I have a real issue against are people scooping up things only to force an inflated market. I won't be a part of that problem.

Case in point: For the last ~18 months I have been trying to buy an Albers Cutlery (out of New York) Lambsfoot knife for his MSRP of $250. People with "bots" are beating people like myself through the checkout process so, after multiple drops I have lost out as have many others with a knife in their cart that goes "out of stock" before their credit card transaction is verified.

I wish Albers Cutlery would do like Theo and Lambda Razors and let me sign up and wait for my turn in line to buy a Lambsfoot slip joint. WHAT I WON'T DO IS PAY 300% ON eBay the following day for the knife that was in my shopping cart.

Regarding COVID-influenced pricing and demand issues, they are really different issues to me. The same can be said of apartment rents and home prices. Personally, I think this has nothing to due with pricing of British Aristocrats on eBay.

 

[Goblin]

Maybe I need to go to Europe/UK to hit flea markets to find those UNICORN razors.

Unfortunately the days when antique and junk dealers stuffed all their old DE razors at the back of a cabinet and sold them for £10 each are long gone. They have cottoned on to the fact there is a market and tend to research and price accordingly - rare to find a missed gem nowadays.

 

[gpjoe]

Unfortunately the days when antique and junk dealers stuffed all their old DE razors at the back of a cabinet and sold them for £10 each are long gone. They have cottoned on to the fact there is a market and tend to research and price accordingly - rare to find a missed gem nowadays.

I'm finding that true here in Michigan too.

Just a year or so ago, I found quite a few nice Techs and Superspeeds for ten bucks or less at local antique shops. I found my Slim, in a box, with what looked like 20 years of soap scum and crud caked on it for six bucks and it cleaned up to a nice user. I found a tarnished Bulldog for ten bucks.

Now a beat up Superspeed in a box is $25-30 at the same shops.

 

[Guido75]

British Aristocrat searches:

) I really want a Rhodium 3rd Generation most! I don't really care about the boxes and other things, wanting a good razor with some "bling" I can shave with occasionally.

) Next up is a Rhodium OC 1st Generation. I love the way those look and suspect they would be a good one for special occasion shaves.

A 2nd Generation in Rhodium or a 4th Generation in Rhodium or Nickel would make me super happy as well! Though my primary searches are for the 3rd and 1st Gens, I would be thrilled to find a nice sample of the 2nd and 4th Gens!

If I could find one with cosmetic finish wear priced well without any real mechanical damage or general corrosion, I would be tempted to send it off to Backroads Gold for a bright nickel refinish if I need to. Obviously, it is probably best to hold out for a nice sample that is in good cosmetic condition and isn't >$300USD but, with inflation that price target is probably moving up.

I will have to brush up on my generational differences, but on the case! 🫡

 

[Chickencutlets]

Hey OP you want to know an unpopular opinion? Years back I had a hybrid and could not tell the difference between that and my pre war Canadian tech. I did several side by sides. Anyone that tells you otherwise is arguing semantics.

 

[kingfisher]

The Hybrid is rare and yes, it is rhodium plated.

It's a good shaver. Maybe not legendary, but very good.

 

[pathologist]

in the guitar world it's just as crazy, search ebay or reverb.com for the "Klon Centaur", a pedal that isn't even rare.

 

[Joezamboni]

It’s a collectible and probably one of the smoothest razors you can buy (even to this day). Not the most efficient but still decent.

Not surprised by the prices they go for.

I hunted down a rare 1956 Milady tech. Try finding one of those. Not super desirable but as rare as bottom dials.

The market is what it is though. I’ve only seen one example of someone managing to actually manipulate a part of the shave market (individual that bought any and every Rooney Finest). Although now they aren’t desirable so he’s a bit stuck.

 

[Wombat ESQ]

Collectors are a bunch of ingrates aren't they [not really]

Several thousand reasons?

Rhodium, expensive sh.... stuff, even if there only two widths of a bees anatomy on a razor, for a plater to buy the metal is prohibitive. So as the word spirals down the toilet, sellers see two widths of a bees anatomy as being worth squillions.

Collectors are more after really nice examples to the unicorn nos or near that holy grail condition, but regardless, once in a collectors hands they are gone/disappeared from the market until the estate is sold.

Sellers also see the vgc ones sell/sold at a price, so they price theirs accordingly, be they vgc, or beat up with pox all over them, they can also look at the price of rhodium and think they have an ounce of it in their hand, not a zipteenth of squat all.

Desirability. Everyone can drive the market? Buyers get a bee in their bonnet and 'must have' one, enough disposable income to pay an inflated price, and the spiral turns into a feeding frenzy with sellers, as the last one sold for X so i can ask Y?

The information highway, the internet. Once I had to go out and hunt. I now sit back and click a mouse and stuff turns up in my mail box. I went on a real hunt not so long ago, allowed an hour, it was over in fifteen minutes, found one item in a dim lighting and swear it had 3 figures on it.

With more access via internet, the word gets round so fast is not funny. What I was buying for eight $AUD now regularly sell for twenty times that, I had no internet in the early days, neither did sellers, so what was a fair price was still plucked from thin air, but no one knew what the price was that others were selling theirs for.

I was fussy and had a good memory, I tended to only buy one of each razor, if i thought i had it i bypassed it, even if it was two or three bucks au, Looking back, i should have bought every one i saw regardless, but who knew the world would go stupid one day.

Good luck in your quest, may you find ten in an attic

 

[Northstonehill]

I will have to brush up on my generational differences, but on the case! 🫡

Here you go Sir

23 different British Gillette Aristocrat sets - a partial historic overview and my collector’s journey (pics galore)

This thread was accidentally deleted so I repost in an updated version. Hope you like it. In March 2018 I acquired a gorgeous British made Gillette Aristocrat razor on the BST of another forum. I loved it from the get-go, for it’s amazing build quality, stunning barberpole looks, and of...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Guido75]

Here you go Sir

23 different British Gillette Aristocrat sets - a partial historic overview and my collector’s journey (pics galore)

This thread was accidentally deleted so I repost in an updated version. Hope you like it. In March 2018 I acquired a gorgeous British made Gillette Aristocrat razor on the BST of another forum. I loved it from the get-go, for it’s amazing build quality, stunning barberpole looks, and of...

www.badgerandblade.com

Thanks Peter! I think I have mine down to first (OC) and third (SB) generation. Man there are many varieties! I did learn recently that the heads are carried across to different models as well. So I assume that the shave between those razors is almost the same.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Goblin]

Looking back, i should have bought every one i saw regardless, but who knew the world would go stupid one day.

My biggest regret in this hobby is buying - and then selling - various old OC Gillette razors in good condition for about £10-£15 in and out. In those early days I preferred milder razors. Now, I really wish I still had them in my collection, and picking up examples in a similar condition would probably cost circa £60 each today...difficult to justify when a Fatip is £18 brand new.

Incidentally, for anyone looking there's a rhodium aristocrat on the UK version of a famous auction site that's finishing in a few hours. Currently sat at £80 with no bids. Not sure if it's a rare version, but FWIW.