Price vs. Quality (newbie question)

[Umma2gumma]

There's plenty of cheap yet excellent shavers. Baili tech clones, for example. Extra $ buys you nicer materials, better workmanship, a more pleasant experience of owning and using a finely crafted tool, but it doesn't necessarily result in a better shave.

Vintage Gillettes that many seasoned wet shaving enthusiasts are in love with were very cheap in their day, because Gillette made money on blades, not razors.

 

[bdehne]

A higher price does not equate to a better shave. As others have stated, a $5 Baili can provide an exceptional shave. I have a 131 and enjoy using it. In fact, once you have developed a good technique, you can get a good shave from almost any razor provided it is not functionally flawed. It is true that an increase on price can get better quality materials; stainless, brass, copper, that will last a lifetime. Gillette managed to make razors that were able to last multiple life times and often gave them away with blades. We don't find companies like that today but there are still companies that provide exceptional value for money. I will skip giving any examples as previous posts have mentioned some excellent ones. In the end, it is up to the user to determine how much they are willing to spend. I have both vintage and modern razors and have been blessed with the means to indulge my hobby but it is not necessary, just something I enjoy.

 

[Ckmaui]

try em that is the only way you will know if YOU like them more

 

[Phoenixkh]

Lots of choices. A couple of ways to approach that. If you're the kind of person who does a lot of research before pulling out their wallet, this is a great excuse to do some research. (Note that because we're all so different and there are so many options and conditions we can't control, asking for subjective experience on this or that thing isn't good research.) If on the other hand you check out a few options and grab whatever looks good at the time, then you may as well pull out your wallet and get the process started. I'm not criticising either way, although I will admit I've held off on the purchase of a rather expensive razor for the last three years while I do additional research to understand what's actually happening under the hood with that one.

O.H.

What has helped me tremendously is getting to know people here... what they like... what they have... and comparing their likes and needs to mine.... You are a great example. If I have a question about Slant razors... I ask you. You like a bit more efficiency than I do.... but when discussing things, we factor that in. You've been extremely helpful to me and others here.

It does take a while to find out what a person likes... It's sort of the nature of the beast. That's why wet shaving is often referred to as a journey.... I've been enjoying the scenery for two years now and continue to be engaged by this hobby. I've had a few hobbies over the years and this one is the least expensive, even though I've "shaved a fortune". <eg>

 

[86-foxtrot]

Like others have said, find what works for you. I have tried a $1 Dollar Tree razor, $2-3 Gillette Click up to $500 Paradigm Shaveware 17-4/ SE and many razors in between.

There are some great bargains to be made out there for Stainless Steel, brass, zamac, titanium, etc. Some of my favorite razors are in the $50-70 range.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Like others have said, find what works for you. I have tried a $1 Dollar Tree razor, $2-3 Gillette Click up to $500 Paradigm Shaveware 17-4/ SE and many razors in between.

There are some great bargains to be made out there for Stainless Steel, brass, zamac, titanium, etc. Some of my favorite razors are in the $50-70 range.

Here's one of them.... I did hand polish it a bit to make it shine.... but what a great shave at a modest price. Not as cheap as a Vintage Tech, perhaps... but very nice. ::

Amazon.com

 

[86-foxtrot]

Here's one of them.... I did hand polish it a bit to make it shine.... but what a great shave at a modest price. Not as cheap as a Vintage Tech, perhaps... but very nice. ::

Amazon.com

My favorite DE razor (Ikon Shavecraft Tech)
On sale. Great price. Aluminum head. Stainless steel handle. Maybe not the best looking but gives a great shave for me.

Some will not agree. But that's why the saying is YMMV

iKon Shave Craft - Tek Razor

Give your skin the care it deserves with our iKon Tek Razor! This razor features a classic design that has been trusted for generations. It's double edge blade provides a smooth and precise shave, while the safety guard helps to prevent nicks and cuts. The handle provides a comfortable grip and...

ikonrazors.com

 

[Fiddler]

Hello everyone, I have newbie question. In life I have noticed you can buy different grades of items. My guess is shaving is no different. When you buy a razor, what are you paying for as the price increases? Lets say you compare a $5 no name razor, a $10 Lord, and a $40 Edwin Jagger or Merkur. Why do the Edwin Jagger and Merkur cost more?

Materials, processes, expertise, brand name, innovation, better shaves (relative), brand reputation.

 

[musicman1951]

It's a complicated question. Part of your buying choice relates to which properties you care about, or possibly which choices you can easily afford (both physically - $$ in wallet - and emotionally). Spending money is too easy for some people and too hard for others.

Sometimes you get lucky and find a high quality product that hasn't been on the market long and has yet to build a reputation for consistent high quality output (like I did with my Wolfman razor for $155 when James first opened shop). But let's ignore these outliers for this discussion.

You offer a cheap product by using the cheapest materials you can find and cranking out a high volume production as fast as you can. That doesn't mean you make all junk, but it probably means you make some junk. They don't tend to have good longevity, but since they are cheap most people won't complain. Quality control is expensive, and they don't tend to offer much of that.

On the other hand, if you consistently offer a high quality product you earn a reputation for high quality products (duh). Now you've got quality materials, quality control by the football fields and top talent producing your item. That all requires a higher price point. On top of that, like it or not, you have to pay extra for that shining reputation that removes your risk from the equation. Is a BMW really twice as good as a Dodge (substitute any car half the price of a BMW)? No, it's clearly not - but it's a lot better, and everyone knows it's a lot better. BUT, maybe all the things it does better don't matter to you. Maybe if the doors close and it gets you from point A to point B you're delighted.

Razors present considerably more complications - you! The right razor for you is a marriage between your beard/face/blade/razor and technique. Are you a gambler? You could get a $3 razor that managed to avoid some of the quality control issues (they're not all junk) and is the perfect razor for your current technique/face, etc. You could also purchase an $800. razor that was all wrong for your current technique/beard.

Some people like quality goods. Some people like to get the job done with as little expense as possible. No right or wrong here - just choices.

My personal experience: I've owned cheap shoes, cheap pens, cheap cars, cheap sweaters, cheap furniture - and none of them were as functional or satisfying as their more expensive alternatives. My wife, who hates to spend money (holds on to a dollar until the eagle screams) very reluctantly agrees that the better stuff is, indeed, better.

I would never buy a $5 razor, but I am most definitely not a gambler. I live 30 minutes from Saratoga and the last time I went to the races was 1974 - I should go for my 50 year anniversary this year. If I wanted to spend as little as possible I'd look on the BS&T for a used razor - that's where I got my Gillette years ago. But you have choices, so decide how much quality you want to pay for and how much of a gambler you are and be happy with your decision.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I have three $5 razors (well on Ali, they were sometimes pricier on Amazon) which are 5 years old, used weekly, some were dropped a couple of times, yet look and function brand new.

Modern high volume automated production is perfectly capable of cranking out good quality products at extremely low prices.

Zamak will last a very long time when properly coated.

And one can permanently damage an all brass or even stainless steel razor by dropping it on the tiled floor and bending the base plate. Well the steel one would be harder to bend, but more likely to cause expensive damage to the tile.

Now, I would probably eventually buy a well build razor made from more “premium” materials just because I enjoy nicely crafted things. But first, I need to find one that shaves as well or better than my $58 Parker Variant OC, and certainly better than my cheap Baili razors - which I rank pretty high on the list of the 12 different razors I own. To be honest, at this time higher than my vintage Gillettes…

 

[Dtownvino]

I am big on no pot metal razors for lifetime shaves. I’ve seen too many fail (2 were mine).

Brass, SS, Bronze, maybe aluminum (I hate anodized), and of course Ti are razors that you can take descent care of and they’ll last a lifetime.

Gillette Tech like many said is a good place to start.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I am big on no pot metal razors for lifetime shaves. I’ve seen too many fail (2 were mine).

Brass, SS, Bronze, maybe aluminum (I hate anodized), and of course Ti are razors that you can take descent care of and they’ll last a lifetime.

Gillette Tech like many said is a good place to start.

Gillette Tech's heads after 1962 or so were all Zamac.

 

[deafficianado]

I see 3 piece zamac razors as disposable and prone to eventually fail. I’ve had 3 of them fail in the threaded area of the top cap, a Lord and an EJ both with occasional use lasted about a year, and a Merkur that I’ve used only once!

 

[Umma2gumma]

I see 3 piece zamac razors as disposable and prone to eventually fail. I’ve had 3 of them fail in the threaded area of the top cap, a Lord and an EJ both with occasional use lasted about a year, and a Merkur that I’ve used only once!

That’s some bad luck. I have four Zamac razors used for 2.5 years and owned for 5 and none has failed yet.

 

[Dtownvino]

Gillette Tech's heads after 1962 or so were all Zamac.

prewar tech is my favorite, I get it

 

[Umma2gumma]

prewar tech is my favorite, I get it

The one that I bought seems a little too aggressive. The 1960 post-war (still a brass cap) is too mild. The lowly $5 Baili 131 and a milder BD176 fit just perfectly in between. Both are Zamac.

 

[JimL911]

I am big on no pot metal razors for lifetime shaves.

Brass, SS, Bronze, maybe aluminum (I hate anodized), and of course Ti are razors that you can take descent care of and they’ll last a lifetime.

I see 3 piece zamac razors as disposable and prone to eventually fail.

For a few $ more than a name brand Zamac, you can get a Razorock. With the ability to add base plates later it's a no brainer.

 

[JimL911]

My favorite DE razor (Ikon Shavecraft Tech)
Maybe not the best looking but gives a great shave for me.

Some will not agree.

It's an acquired taste.
I got mine as the Tech. Spent $$$ trying to find it's better or equal. When they came back as the Tek, I grabbed 2 back up heads.

 

[Salty_Shaver]

You get higher build quality---consistency, tolerances, material, possibly better designs, etc---that will lend itself to a smoother shave and longer life. There's no need to spend more than $75 for a razor. A $10 zamac razor may shave as well as a more expensive stainless, brass, or aluminum razor, but it will not last as long.

What borwish said my Gillette fat boy lasted 7 decades before it broke. It was replaced with Rockwell T2s probably the last razor I buy.

 

[Dtownvino]

RazorRock is too much blade feel if the tech is too much in my opinion. I do like the GC ,76 though.