Straight razor shaving is growing rapidly

**jcborr00** · 01-26-2012, 08:38 PM

Did anyone notice the price for razors are going up and the availability is getting scarce? It looks like it is really taking off but I hope for the right reasons. It seems as if more are trying to "hit it big" and try to profit rather than enjoy the hobby.

Another reason, everything is going retro, why not shaving. Look at the Ford mustang, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger. They all look like previous models from the 60's.

Whatever the reason Straight razor shaving is growing, rapidly. Any thoughts?

**Earcutter** · 01-26-2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by jcborr00

Did anyone notice the price for razors are going up and the availability is getting scarce? It looks like it is really taking off but I hope for the right reasons. It seems as if more are trying to "hit it big" and try to profit rather than enjoy the hobby.

Another reason, everything is going retro, why not shaving. Look at the Ford mustang, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger. They all look like previous models from the 60's.

Whatever the reason Straight razor shaving is growing, rapidly. Any thoughts?

Are you sure that that is the case? Just asking as I didn't think it was.

EDIT - lack of availability may also be a sign that there's no money in making straights, and less batches are beeing sent out.

**jcborr00** · 01-26-2012, 08:43 PM

Prices only go up with demand otherwise prices would stay stationary.

**Earcutter** · 01-26-2012, 08:45 PM

But demand could be "seemingly" going up because no one's making many.

**jcborr00** · 01-26-2012, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Earcutter

But demand could be going up because no one's making many.

Good point. I guess we will have to wait and see.

**Earcutter** · 01-26-2012, 08:51 PM

I hope I am wrong and you are right!! I would love to see more people making straights and more people using them. What i would really like to know is how many razors say Dovo and TI are making in a year.

Either way, I think it's still a very small amount of us who do this!

**Seraphim** · 01-26-2012, 08:55 PM

There is an article out there on the interwebs talking about how Dovo's output has gone up like by a factor of seven or something in the past 5-10 years.

**Earcutter** · 01-26-2012, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphim

There is an article out there on the interwebs talking about how Dovo's output has gone up like by a factor of seven or something in the past 5-10 years.

That's great news!

**Legion** · 01-26-2012, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphim

There is an article out there on the interwebs talking about how Dovo's output has gone up like by a factor of seven or something in the past 5-10 years.

That sounds right. We are a niche group within a niche group. Before the internet I think the number of people using straights would have been pretty small, and they would have probably been using vintage stuff for the most part, because if you are the kind of person who gets into something like straight razor shaving all by yourself, you are probably pretty old school. I'm surprised Dovo and TI kept going with them at all in the years after cartridge razors but before the internet.

**jcborr00** · 01-26-2012, 09:03 PM

I recently purchased a new dovo and tried to order direct from their company. They said that they did not do direct orders because they are extremely backed up and cannot add on any extra workload. Also took them about a month to get back to me. They were very friendly and helpful and directed me to their dealers in the US. The emerge of the American razor maker "Hart Steel" in 2009 is another way that Straight razors are on the rise. I wish I saved that email.

**redrako** · 01-26-2012, 09:05 PM

Same thing with vintage Gillettes - prices have really taken off over the past few years. Begging the question, are there that many more wet shavers? Are folks just collecting them? Perhaps existing wet shavers all own a collection of vintage Gillettes?

Because razors are easy to collect, I've long thought that shave creams, soaps and blades might me a better measure of DE use. As fat as Straight's, perhaps stropping paste sales might be a better measure?

**turtle** · 01-26-2012, 09:08 PM

You can count me as one more as of a couple days ago

**Kentos** · 01-26-2012, 09:10 PM

Well with everyone owning several Dovos, maybe its not an indication of more shavers...

**Legion** · 01-26-2012, 09:11 PM

When I'd log on to B&B in the morning last year the average number of viewers was around 600. It is now over double that and growing.

**jcborr00** · 01-26-2012, 09:11 PM

My wife to be was born and raised in Albania. She moved here (USA) in 2001 and said that her father, grandfather and uncles still used a straight razor brush and shaving soap. They were amazed by cart razors when they moved here and tossed them for the Fusions. Carts are not available where they are from and they were so happy there was an easier way of shaving. Her father told me a brand new Dovo would go for about 35 dollars back home and he was shocked when he saw how expensive they were here.

**Debrushman** · 01-26-2012, 10:16 PM

With premium catridges going for close to 400 dollars a hundred, people are giving serious consideration to alternative shave methods. A cheap puck of Williams or van der hagen, in conjunction with an ebay straight or de is a very cost effective alternative. Let's not even get into the fact that the shave is vastly superior.
We will see many more converts if the economics remain the same.

**Grips** · 01-27-2012, 09:40 AM

I agree with the cartridge backlash. I wasn`t getting bad shaves with my Sensor excel but when Costco stopped carrying the carts I refused to pay more. I had never gone on to the 3+ blade carts. I now have used DEs and am learning the straight. I only have two soaps and one cream on the go. So I am spending about the same as before, but the shave quality has gone up and the shave enjoyment has gone up drastically. I know lots of guys that complain about the cost of carts and are tearing their faces up trying to get another week of shaves out of their Fusions.

I think more people also look to the internet to buy stuff; which is exactly where we buy our stuff (other than antique stores). So I think we`ll see the numbers of wet-shavers grow and there is always a few that move to a straight and keep using it. So there will be more straight users but the increase will not be as big as the increase in DE users. IMHO

**Obiwan** · 01-27-2012, 09:46 AM

As far as supply/demand = new users, it could also be the high degree of nuts that get bitten by the AD bug and need to own dozens of razors.

**Jporco** · 01-27-2012, 09:51 AM

I'm sitting here in Hartford airport reading USA today and there is a 1/2. Page story on the best 10'places in the US for a shave and a haircut. All Barber/Spa locations. So yes, it seems to be getting more popular but I don't think the prices I see at flea markets have been on a dramatic upswing. Just my $.02.

**Seraphim** · 01-27-2012, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Earcutter

That's great news!

Actually, no it is not.

Output is up, but QC seems to be down. Way down.

A couple of years back I ordered a Dovo stainless pearlex. Nice.

Except when I went to hone it. It was warped.

Exchanged it with the vendor, no problem.

Except the second one was warped exactly the same as the first. Same side, same warp.

Talked to the vendor, who was terrific, and we decided to try a different batch: so it was exchanged for an ebony handled one.

Guess what: same warp, same side, same problem.

We gave up after that. I returned the razor for a refund.

I then purchased a 2001 vintage pearlex stainless Dovo from EBay. No warp, no problems, great shaver.

I will not purchase a new Dovo.