Thread: Are we paying to much for razors today?..I mean in 2011

Originally Posted by Wintchase

Are we paying to much for razors today?

Some of us are!

I bet we could get new razors cheaper though if we would start using child labor again and do away with any safety considerations that cut into revenues

Items are only 'worth' as much as people are willing to pay for them. Some pay over the odds, some will get a bargain. Many cutthroats are like land, not being made any more.

Many of the calculations converting 1800s dollars to modern and buying power are invalid because many things simply don't translate like that. Razors are one of those things. Many wouldn't give you ten cents for a straight these days.

I'm happier paying today's prices and getting today's wages. Don't have much use for the standard of living in 1850. With my background I probably won't be needing a razor anymore.

Long before I bought my first straight, I had a passing interest and started pricing them. At that time, they were about $45.00. That was in the early eighties. I don't find today's prices that bad.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Many wouldn't give you ten cents for a straight these days.

This is one factor that folks like me who fish the Flea Markets and Antique stores count on and when we find it we'll exploit it to maximum benefit. Thanks to this attitude, I've stumbled across some really nice old razors that the owner was just looking to get rid of and hopefully make a buck or two in the process. These are the $5-10 razors that are the real rush. Nice easily restorable very structurally sound razors that once I buy, I feel like I stole (my C.V. Haljestrand is probably the best example but there are many more in my rotation.) Ironically, the owners of these razors are probably thinking THEY are the ones who got over

Sometimes though, you get the exact opposite (you see this alot on ebay). Some completely beat to death rusty, old, cracked scales, beat up, probably unrecoverable POS that can be yours at the "bargain price" of $85

The only real reason prices are high is because everyone is looking for those big name razors DublDuck, W&B that we seem to praise above all the others. There is really no reason for it. Any sheffield blade is as good as another. A Engels is as good as any duck.
There are tons of off brands out there that are as good and way cheaper.

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

These are the $5-10 razors that are the real rush....

snip

Sometimes though, you get the exact opposite (you see this alot on ebay). Some completely beat to death rusty, old, cracked scales, beat up, probably unrecoverable POS that can be yours at the "bargain price" of $85

There are two antique dealers here literally across the street from each other. One sold me three good razors for about $10 each, even knocked down the price without my asking. The other had a Gotta worn down into an icepick for $50.

I bought my first straight brand new in a mall some 18 years ago. The razor, a lovely Hoffritz 5/8 no frills and a strop, also Hoffritz branded, came out to a handy $120 bucks, tax included.

Both the razor and the strop are back in service - the razor thanks go Glen's hard work, and the strop thanks to the helpful advise.

As far as paying too much... some do, but I don't If it's too salty for my taste, I walk away. The most I've paid for a razor was $100 for a Dubl Duck, and was happy to part with a C note to get it. That's the exception, though, and I only have two other razors that I paid more than $20 for. One is a Mastro Livi the wife bought me, and another a NOS I got on the bay that I splurged at $40.