Thread: Do we have a responsibility to buy new razors?

There are literally hundreds of thousands (or more) completely serviceable razors laying around the world waiting to be used. But the question is, with the world having pretty much completely walked away from straight razors, do we have a responsibility to support the precious few makers we have left?

I say, yes we do, the contemporary makers do make a great product at what I would call a completely reasonable price. Don't get me wrong, I'm still buying up the vintage units as I find them, but I also support the makers.

The short answer is no.

If a new, or to be more accurate, current company is making a quality product at a reasonable price then go ahead and support them with your patronage.

However, new makers can also put out would could be considered an inferior product and charging an arm an a leg for it because it is considered a specialty product. I'm thinking about TI's QC reputation right about now. Is that acceptable for a product that is so expensive? I don't know.

I know the point you are trying to make, that if we don't support them the art of making razors might be lost. But I still don't think we have a responsibility, or obligation, to keep these companies in business. It's the free market yada yada yada....

PS - I do own a new production razor, a Dovo Bismarck, and am happy with it, so I am not anti-new razor by any means.

I am on the yes side, BUT (huge but ) they have to deliver the goods also...
I have owned 3 new razors total, ever... The first razor I bought in 1981 was brand new from the store ($60)... I had a Dovo SS #105 Micarta in 2007($115) and I just recently bought a TI 6-7/8($240)...
The TI by far was the most expensive and I admit that I knew I was asking for trouble with the Stamina wood scales... I wish I could have bought just the blade as the scales were junk anyway... Honestly I had every intention of changing the scales out on the TI, heck I had the acrylic layed up and ready to go the day after I ordered the razor...The problem is why did I already know this???? I mean what if I were just a normal customer not a Custom/Restoration guy, those scales were bad that just isn't right for $240...

So yes we all should pick one new razor to own, and keep these guys in business but they better get the QC issues fixed too...

My thoughts are very similar to Glen's, but I would perhaps qualify it as such : There is some obligation to support an artisan. In that sense, some of the old grinders who I've heard still work for DOVO or maybe most of all the young guy's who are just learning to make those Hart razors (and, based on the reviews, do seem to be learning the craft quite earnestly).

I don't see any obligation to support a factory worker who would just as soon be making a fork. TI, for example, uses their history as grand cutlers to sell their blades at outrageous prices... they may as well have trained apes grinding their blades, and most significantly scaling their razors.

On a barely related note, I had been thinking about the trouble with TI (and to some extent DOVO) scales. Essentially they sell all the same blades, just different scales.... and from what I've seen, the price just isn't worth it for the scales. I'm not as good as Glen or Max, but I filled out one of my invoices as though I used a tropical hardwood to rescale a new bottom-end DOVO (the blade in no-frills scales) and I could give a person a gosh-darned NEW razor with hand-made scales of far higher quality than the factory ever produces for about $100 less than their top models.


And as much as I want to see new razors being made, I don't want to support *that*.

just wish i could afford to buy one, just one,(or 2 or 3 or ?) MAESTRO LIVI maybe some day. i do own a new dovo perlex and it is a great razor. i also have vintage razors that are better shavers and i really like the thought of using a razor older than i am.(i am 50)

It's your money and you work hard for it so you should spend it where you perceive the most value be it with a new blade or a vintage. If your flush with cash and can afford and want a custom then that's your ticket. It's really the same story with any product like in the 1990s buying American Cars which were inferior to the imports.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

My thoughts are very similar to Glen's, but I would perhaps qualify it as such : There is some obligation to support an artisan. In that sense, some of the old grinders who I've heard still work for DOVO or maybe most of all the young guy's who are just learning to make those Hart razors (and, based on the reviews, do seem to be learning the craft quite earnestly).

I don't see any obligation to support a factory worker who would just as soon be making a fork. TI, for example, uses their history as grand cutlers to sell their blades at outrageous prices... they may as well have trained apes grinding their blades, and most significantly scaling their razors.

On a barely related note, I had been thinking about the trouble with TI (and to some extent DOVO) scales. Essentially they sell all the same blades, just different scales.... and from what I've seen, the price just isn't worth it for the scales. I'm not as good as Glen or Max, but I filled out one of my invoices as though I used a tropical hardwood to rescale a new bottom-end DOVO (the blade in no-frills scales) and I could give a person a gosh-darned NEW razor with hand-made scales of far higher quality than the factory ever produces for about $100 less than their top models.


And as much as I want to see new razors being made, I don't want to support *that*.

My TI is similar to Glen's , its spartacus not Eagle, and the scales were just fine. I got the bone scale version not stamina because it was out of stock.
You can't just generalize for the whole production based on one example. I can say the same about Dovo, my first and only one was a disappointment and will never buy another. My experience still does not mean all Dovos are bad.
By the way, my TI and Glen's and many others are made from historic steel which much better than what current forgings can offer. I am not sure that TI and Dovo use the same steel, TI as far as I know has a new formula they started to use recently.

I have owned a handful of new razors (Dovo and TI). I honestly don't see anything in either manufacturer that can't be found elsewhere for a reasonable fee. For example: I go to a local antique shop and pay chump change for some halfway decent razors. I send them out to one of our resident resto-men. I get back a basically new razor for well under the costs of a new forging.

I'll likely buy a new razor or 2 in the next year and likely sell/trade it away like I have done with all the rest. I suppose I am doing my part.

I like the question. I don't have a concrete opinion. I know that a brand new TI I purchased for about $80 not much more than two years ago goes for over twice as much now. Double the price in two years.

I know what you're saying about keeping new makers in the business to preserve the manufacture of straight razors, but I can't help but think that at this point, it's more pressing for people like us to preserve the vintage razors where and when we can find them being that there is an ever dwindling finite number of them.

Chris L

Originally Posted by ChrisL

I like the question. I don't have a concrete opinion. I know that a brand new TI I purchased for about $80 not much more than two years ago goes for over twice as much now. Double the price in two years.

I had a super gnome once. I looked the other day at what they are selling for now and was floored.