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Guys,
It seems that virtually every vendor of quality merchandise is very low just now.
Is this normal after Christmas - or did they all have a very good year (hope so). If that is the case then our crazy obsession must be catching on around the world......
Curious minds want to know.....
I'm curious as to if there are normal trends as well, but I can say that I called the gentlemen at SRD and asked the guy 'how come 4 out of 5 razor choices are sold out?'. He told me they have continuous orders from the places [i was asking about DOVO in particular at the time] and they [SRD] are just continuously waiting on inventory.
I realize this doesn't answer your question, but I too noticed there are a lot of 'out of stock' out there. I suppose it could be that there are limited places that truly offer those blades as shave ready, which limits the places most people order from. Since it's nice to just order a new razor and not worry about sending it off again to get it ready, i'm guessing when you see other random places having their razors in stock.. they just have a very slow turnaround compared to the places that will sharpen for you.
Just a guess- i could (and most certainly am in one way or another) be full of shit
To me it was not just razors - but all kinds of items - soaps/creams, strops, stones, etc.
I am actually hoping that the demand has caught them all a little off guard - bad for prices (from my point of view) but good for the suppliers.
Which means ultimately more and better stuff available for us to feed out addictions with..... I mean buy so that we can save even more money.... In short, more fun!
I read on another forum somewhere that in the UK the sale of straight razors, soaps, strops etc had gone up four-fold since the latest bond film which had a straight razor shaving scene in.
that doesn't sound unlikely haha! when i bought my first razor i told a friend and his response was 'oh because of the bond film... cool' which made me feel kind of insulted!Quote:
Originally Posted by England
I read the same about a 400% increase in straight razor sales since skyfall. I'd feel a bit insulted too if someone thought I's bought my razor just because of skyfall, although it did inspire me a little. I'd been thinking about straight razor shaving for at least ten years and never quite new where to start.
Well 400% of 10 razor or 1 per week or month. We do not know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ezekiel81
When I got my first straight at end of nov, I was waiting on skyfall comments. At least I had been using soap and brush for a couple of months before that and on SRP as well.
Usually, the holiday season depletes the stock at many small vendors not just those of shaving supplies. Small businesses generally do not have the resources to keep vast stockpiles on hand and if they had a great end of year they might be a while getting restocked.
Patience make help you make better choices or at least different ones.
enjoy,
jim
I don't think there's anything wrong with being inspired by Skyfall. Anything that grows the community is good. I don't see the benefit in judging people based on how they got here.
Well, even though the popularity has risen; I am sure we are still in the minority. The day I see a DOVO a Wal-Mart I will know things have really changed.
I've been thinking of Straight razor shaving for a couple years now. Saw the bond film and bought one a week later. So I can easily see that movie picking up sales.. Lol
The only problem with more and more people starting into Straight razor shaving, is more people will be tracking down those vintage blades I love at antique stores. :cry:. Of coarse SWMBO will like this a lot!!
In my opening thread I said that I have been wanting to do this for a few years. The idea of Skyfall though, I actually forgot but that is what everyone says to me. "Oh so now you want to be James Bond?" my reply is "of course, I'm a guy, I would love to be James Bond, but that is not the reason." I wouldn't consider it an insult per se, but I will say it kind of says that you can't have your own ideas. Its ok though, even though I want to get into this as it fascinates me, I am sure once I do, I will be SR shaving long after Skyfall as a "reason" is forgotten. But it does make sense to think of it as movies do have an impact on the way people behave. Everyone wants to be the hero of their favortie movie, but since we cannot, doing something that anyone can might bring you closer :D
Well, one could equally argue that we all want to be cowboys. I mean it seems every Western had some leathered dude lathering up and shaving himself out in the middle of no where.
I would say 'Skyfall' has had a bit to do with the lack of stock as well as naturally low stock levels after christmas. However, after having bought my first cut-throat around 1996, I would be a little insulted if somone suggested 'Skyfall' as the reason for my using one.
Aside from that, anyone who was inspired by 'Skyfall' to try a cut-throat is alright by me. These people are at least willing to give something, that they might have thought of as 'scarey' or dangerous' before then, a try. It also means that there might be a whole lot more cheap, near new, barely used razors on the market in a few months time :).
Mick
One might argue, Stocks and BONDS have always been closely related ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
Cheers,
Paul
Last week I went to the local L'Occitane to snag some Cade...all out. I asked the lady if the rumour was true that it has been discontinued. She said, nope...they had a ton - they were cleared out from Christmas and weren't expecting more for another few weeks. They've been doing huge sales in mens shaving products.
To paraphrase Lynn, wet shaving is here, we are here to stay, and this is the best of things. My pipe dream is that interest will pick up enough to have a stateside MdC retailer. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?
Hey, I resemble that remark. :<0) And I have one of the Lone Rangers straights. Glad I got it before the new movie comes out. I started using a straight before I found out Bond did but I don't think that matters. After the craze dies down there will be a lot of razors for sale. Just have to watch out for the Pakistani's and such. Hard to predict prices in the future but I remember when John Travolta rode a mechanical bull in a movie, boot prices tripled in less than 2 months. I have 3 new guys using razors I loaned out right now. 3 new shoppers and more on the way just in my little sphere of influence. No talk of Bond yet either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mephisto
Happy to say my purchase of a straight had nothing to do with Skyfall. Why would I purchase something based on an actor who doesn't do Bond justice? To be perfectly fair I haven't seen Skyfall so it'd be mean to judge too harshly. Also, I don't like westerns. I can't actually remember what triggered my desire to get a straight, & it was only a few months ago I started thinking about it. I think that says more about my long term memory than anything else.
Back on topic, I've also noticed some of the online shaving shops in the UK stating out of stock on a lot of items. I'm guessing traditional shaving is picking up momentum, not a bad thing in my opinion. It might eventually lead to me being able to pick up traditional shaving soaps, balms, strops etc in a shop instead of only being able to purchase online. Be nice to actually view/smell what I'm purchasing before laying down the money, & that's just not a thing I can do at present.
Before the 'crash' online vendors had more stock on hand. If you look at the custom razor market alone there were scads of Livis, Zowadas, Chandlers and what have you. I think the fact that we are in a world wide recession has more to do with it than Christmas sales. Vendors just don't invest as much in stock as they used to. The other day I did a google search for Thiers-Issard damascus just to see what they sell for now and couldn't find one.
They used to sell for $600 to $700 USD for the square point 5/8 and about a grand or more for the 7/8 notched blade. Now no one is carrying them. I guess TI isn't even making them anymore. If you go to Classic's site their selection of Dovos, TIs and customs is way down. So IMHO it is the economy.
What do you mean by that?! He's the only actor to do the Bond character any justice at all. Have you read any of the Bond books? You won't find the Authors original James Bond to be made out to be some sort of super human gadget carrying freak that is capable of saving the world without have a hair on his head ruffled. No, the original Bond was someone who was as human/fallible as the next man. He just had enough brains and training to help him survive the odds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaden101
Mick
Not that many people who watch Bond Films have read the books. People expect the suave gadget laden cool as a cucumber slightly cheesy womanising British Spy. I'm not saying that's true to the books, but it's true to the history & essence of the films for the last 50 years. They tried the touchy feely with Timothy Dalton & that didn't work (in my opinion). The previous Daniel Craig Bond films just felt like any old generic spy film & not Bond enough for me. That's a personal opinion & like I said I haven't seen Skyfall, & I'm sure I'll take the time to watch it at some point. I have heard good things about it & I'll reserve judgement until I've seen it.Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
Everyone to their own. I just haven't seen anything yet that makes me think of DC as a worthwhile Bond.
I've started something now, haven't I?
No, I agree each to their own. I like the fact the DC is getting back to the true Bond as he was meant to be, according to the original stories. A bit more dark and gritty and less suave and sophisticated. I haven't seen Skyfall yet either. I was going to go this weekend, but the local cinema has moved on, and isn't showing it now. Guess I'm waiting for the DVD to come out now. I'll add it to complete the collection.
I'm a fan of the movies, but I prefer the book version of Bond. I think all Bond fans should read the books. They're very different to all the earlier movies...Now you want to talk about crappy movie Bond. I think George Lazenby takes the cake as a crappy Bond and the fact that he looks slightly similar to Roger Moore at first glance, makes me think that the producers were trying to pass him off as old RM since he was the precious Bond. I felt cheated when I saw that movie. The only saving grace to that one was the fact that Bond got married, only to lose his wife. It was a turning point in the story of Bond. One that suggested that thee would be a certain mental hardening or slightly over the edge mental state to Bond in future. However that didn't seem to come about when TD came in on the next movie,but then the movies didn't really follow on from each other, they were just a 'sealed unit' story, if you get my meaning.
Mick
Skyfall is simply excellent.
IMO the best bond movie to date, and I have seen a lot of them.
The last one sucked IMO (quantum of solace)
DC is very convincing, plenty of action of course and plot surprises all the way through.
Must watch !
Btw I don't remember the straight scene so in not sure if it turned me...
I think it was Quantum of Solace that really put me off DC as Bond in the first place. Was that the one that could have been any generic spy film set in the middle east? To be fair the previous DC Bond films have just blurred into one unforgettable meh for me so I can't actually be sure what happened in each of them, I just know I wasn't over impressed at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpy
I've never read the books, so my only comparison of what I expect of Bond is what has come before on the silver screen & DC hasn't done it for me yet. I think the films have been going for so long & are so much more out there in the public domain than the books that they have a life & style of their own that has nothing to do with the books anymore, but what do I know. Skyfall may change my opinion of DC as bond, we'll see.
Geez, we really did take this thread off track..whoops.
Skyfall is a fantastic Bond movie and I have seen many. Quantum of Solace was a disaster. Casino Royal was ok, but nothing particularly exciting. Daniel Craig definitely got it right this time. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
"I don't remember the shave scene"??????? While the rest of us are day dreaming about Naomi Harris giving us a shave.
As far as "has everybody gone crazy?" I think that is indeed the case. I have seen the prices of all old straight razors on eBay go up a lot the last month or two.
My own example: I sold a decent shape Simmons 4/8 that I had restored to shave ready for just shy of $30 just a couple of weeks ago. I bought it for $8 last summer.
Double Post
It is crazy how much a movie can influence people to do things. I do think it has had an effect of Straight Razor shaving. Especially since it's a cheaper brother to purchasing James Bond's Crockett and Jones shoes at $600 a pop which were sold out because of the movie.
Well, while we're off topic, I saw Skyfall this weekend. Best DC Bond film. Much better than the previous two, & I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I didn't see him stropping the SR. Was I not paying attention or was he being a naughty bond?
I think DC is a great Bond. I think George Lasenby was the only one I really wasn't impressed by. By now it must be the most difficult character to play in any movie because so many people have so many expectations. DC does an excellent job in my opinion.
I didn't notice any stropping either. Maybe he strops after shaving only or perhaps it had just come back from being honed. I watched a bit of sweeney todd recently and I'm pretty sure he strops blade first instead of spine first. Not great for a professional barber, but then it was the 1800s and he was crazy.
Well, while we continue to be off topic...
Skyfall was the best new Bond film so far, by a significant margin. That said, while I've enjoyed all of the bond films to one degree or another, I think Daniel is a great re-incarnation of Bond, and the best since good ole Sean Connery.
I don't remember seeing any stropping in Skyfall, but I always like it when straights make an appearance (same goes for old Fords and Colts)
Prices seem to be higher everywhere...getting to the point of pricing me out of the hobby (good thing the razors I have will last me several lifetimes!). Out of stock items seem to be filling in (so long as they don't contain gunpowder or lead anyway). But I don't know about razors. I can't afford 'em new. I will keep an eye out for used Dovo's and TI's popping up now that there's a verifiable post-Skyfall market to take advantage of! ;)
Peace,
Jim