Thread: NOS Premium vs Value

I personally do not think NOS is worth the premium if you are going to shave with it. But, sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants and you have no choice but to pay what someone else wants you to pay. It might be your money, but it is their razor.

And can someone please explain to me how NOS does not mean mint? I am genuinely curious.

James.

Originally Posted by Bruno

NOS has absolutely nothing to do with 'value' as a shaver. After all, a razor shaves just as well if it has been used before.
It is mostly a factor regarding collectibility. And as someone already mentioned: NOS does not mean mint.
It just means it hasn't been used before and (usually) comes in original packaging.

I believe this to be the definition of NOS.

that's the other thing: buyer beware.
It is not impossible to find a NOS sheffield razor. I have had 1 John Barber that I am pretty sure was NOS.
But it is very rare. In those days, they were made to be used. If you see a razor that they clam is NOS, take a very close look at the spine and the edge.
In those days, the craftsmen made very good grinds, and as a results the razors had very narrow bevels and no hone wear. So if there is any hone wear or uneven bevels (or if it looks used ) it is not NOS.

And can someone please explain to me how NOS does not mean mint? I am genuinely curious

The economists definition of NOS says that any item that was never sold to a consumer is NOS. Meaning if the manufacturer sold a thousand razors to a distributor, and that distributor left them in his garage for 60 years, and never sold them to a consumer, the merchandise is NOS. Now he decides he wants to get rid of them. A razor seller buys them from him, and they are still technically NOS until the day he sells it to a consumer. Now, even if that consumer never uses the item, it is still no longer NOS. It is no longer an inventory item, but now a consumed item...It is no longer "in stock:, therefore cannot be New old stock. It might be in mint condition, in average condition, or in terrible condition. But it cannot be NOS if a consumer has purchased it. NOS has absolutely nothing to do with condition of merchandise, and everything to do with who has collected tax receipts on the merchandise.

Disclaimer: I totally understand that at least half of you won't agree with that. lol

OP: NOS is not worth the gum on the bottom of my shoe. But if I was a distributor, it sure would be.

Have sold alot of NOS razors in the past 4 mos.All my Dorkos were in factory wrapped boxes,every one of them had loose wedges do to being over 70 yrs old,they were all 100% factory NOS,but not by definition mint.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I personally do not think NOS is worth the premium if you are going to shave with it. But, sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants and you have no choice but to pay what someone else wants you to pay. It might be your money, but it is their razor.

And can someone please explain to me how NOS does not mean mint? I am genuinely curious.

James.

Im sure enough people have bought sealed NOS razors with cell rot so bad the razors were unusable.... or rusted out from damp storage, these examples would not mean mint

Regularjoe is totally correct. In the general sense NOS just means it was never sold before. I collect timepieces and you will see watches that were never sold that sat in a jewelers stock for years and many have been defective pieces or pieces he used as loaners for repair work. Or maybe when he sold his business he stored away mdse in his basement for 40 years.

It has nothing to do with condition just retail status.

It's very possible a NOS item will be in it's original factory sealed packaging however that is a real leap of faith because the item also might have sat who knows where for many years and could be rusted out and as soon as you open the packaging that premium you paid for the item dissolves.

I'm always willing to pay a premium for a razor that hasn't been honed by anyone else. Saves me time on corrective work. So I usually prefer new.

Originally Posted by epd

Im sure enough people have bought sealed NOS razors with cell rot so bad the razors were unusable.... or rusted out from damp storage, these examples would not mean mint

And people are prepared to call a razor like that "NOS"? Is the "New" in "NOS" the same as the "new" in "The Emperor's New Clothes"? lol

James.

I'm not sure that a collectable can be seen as an investment any longer. It's true that 'quality' will alway be appreciated by someone but if a hobby doesn't involve an item that can be easily chged to cash it may just be a fun thing to have and in our case a skill held by a few.