Thread: Odd Observation from a Newbie

Just to put things into perspective - my first products:

Razor - vintage Dubl Duck, $90 (could have got something cheaper, but what the hell)
Strop - Tony Miller, $75 (again, could have got something cheaper, but it was a TM for a good price)
Brush - Vulfix pure badger, $35, and a great brush to boot
Soap - Proraso Green, $9
Lather bowl - $2, from Army & Navy
A/S - Nivea, $10
Styptic pencil - $2

For the princely sum of $223 I had a full set up. Not including the future costs of soap and aftershave (plus a barbers hone for perhaps $20) I would have been more or less set for life. Of course it goes without saying that it would be easy to spend a lot more or a lot less than that for a starter kit. That's the beauty of this hobby, and the point that I think you have missed: it is what you make of it.

I can totally understand the perception that this is a hobby for people with loads of money they don't know what to do with and I suppose if that's you, there is certainly no shortage of $1000 razors or $300 brushes. However, I'm living proof that you can enjoy it just as much if you're the average Joe, poor college student, guy on a budget or whatever. Flea markets and antique stores have provided all of my razors (DE, SE and Straight). I've found some real treasures (i.e. 1960 Gillette Fatboy for $4, C.V. Heljestrand Mk4 for $8, etc.) The most expensive of my 25+ razors is the first straight I ever bought (a $30 Boker Red Injun) unit price on most of the others is somewhere between $8 and $10. It has been my experience that most Flea Market venders are NOT straight razor people and are merely hoping to make a few bucks off these trinkets (after all no one actually shaves with these anymore.) Assuming a razor is structurally sound, not badly rusted without serious hone wear or a ghastly smile or frown, it can generally clean up and hone up nicely and be a prince of a shave on a pauper's budget.

My hone would never pass muster amongst purists, when I started a few years back I just picked up something that would hold me over until I could afford a 4K/8K. It has done just fine at both restoring flea market finds and maintaining keen edges on my daily shavers. I probably could and should have long ago purchased a 4K/8K but to be honest, I couldn't justify spending the money because what I have works just fine for everything I need it to do. Total outlay for my two strops is $32, most recently (last weekend in fact) I purchased a Russian Shell/ Canvas strop for $12. Cleaned it up and it works like a champ.

My brushes are all about 4 years old and to be sure that fleet is due for a bit of an upgrade. I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Badgers?...Badgers!? We don't need no steenking badgers." My "high end brushes" are a pair of Semogues that I think I may have spent $20 a piece on. Semogues are great brushes to be sure, as are Omega brushes. I don't own a fancy brush but for sure they all consistently do the job. Lately I've been stalking the Vie Long horse hair brushes. Very nice ones are available for less than $25. Eventually, I'll replace my aging brush fleet but I'm in no hurry. The key to it all is to keep your eyes peeled for affordable gear with good quality. It's very possible but may not happen over night.

I understand where the OP is coming from. I'm new to this hobby and I got into it just to get a basic shave and to have a little more fun with it than shaving with either a cartridge or an electric.

I'm still working on getting my $12 Gold Dollar sharp but it's cheap, basic paddle strops are cheap and a brush, cup with soap at a local drugstore is $12.

You can hone with micro film for $15. It's all very basic but when done this way it's as cheap as it ever was.

I haven't been into this hobby long enough to want to do any more than just get a simple shave to be able to hone my razor myself.

Most of the expense is like with any other activity moving from the basic needs to something more.

Ok this is kind of interesting. This add is supposed to be from 1918:



Ok so the mean price of a straight razor from the selection offered is approximately $37.00.

A 1918 dollar is worth about $16.47 in today's dollars. DollarTimes.com | Inflation Calculator

That would mean that a $37.00 razor in 1918 would be about $609.00!!

What the heck!! What am I doing wrong? Or do we really have it that good today??!!! Anyone have a verified ad with a price for a straight from 1740 to 1900?

Originally Posted by earcutter

Ok this is kind of interesting. This add is supposed to be from 1918:



Ok so the mean price of a straight razor from the selection offered is approximately $37.00.

A 1918 dollar is worth about $16.47 in today's dollars. DollarTimes.com | Inflation Calculator

That would mean that a $37.00 razor in 1918 would be about $609.00!!

What the heck!! What am I doing wrong? Or do we really have it that good today??!!! Anyone have a verified ad with a price for a straight from 1740 to 1900?

Er... prices per dozen?

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Er... prices per dozen?

Right On!! Thanks Cangooner I didn't see that! I knew something was wrong! So do you think this ad was wholesale prices? If you divide it by 12 it's only about $51.00! Not too bad.

I guess one thing I'm curious about...did everyone own straights back in the day? I was under the impression a lot of guys just went to the barber once or twice a week for a shave...but I could be very wrong...

I have a similar ad from some time around 1890 (I think - there's no date but it's post-1882 (de Pews patent date) and pre-1891) that has prices per dozen ranging from $8.00 (Wade & Butcher medium hollow ground 'round point' which is what we'd call a barber's notch) to $17.00 (Wade & Butcher special hollow ground with 'carved rubber handle', also with round point aka barber's notch). incidentally a dozen De Pews would set you back $16.00. Not bad!

Using a different calculator that goes back a bit farther into the 19th century, I came up with equivalents of $16.43 for the cheapest W&B, $32.86 for the De Pew, and $34.91 for the pricey W&Bs.

Wow, that is and interesting comparison... So, that would mean a brand new production razor for around $50?! What would be some contemporary examples of brand new for around $50? I've seen vintage NOS around that price but don't have good examples of any others. Seems like a closer average may be 3 times higher than that for brand new. ??

Originally Posted by Prahston

Wow, that is and interesting comparison... So, that would mean a brand new production razor for around $50?! What would be some contemporary examples of brand new for around $50? I've seen vintage NOS around that price but don't have good examples of any others. Seems like a closer average may be 3 times higher than that for brand new. ??

You can get serviceable new razors for under $100 (I'm thinking base model Dovo here). But that's really the bottom of the range before you start getting into garbage (or at least inconsistent) blades. I do wish I could get a NOS De Pew for $32 though!!