Thread: Men's Journal "article" on straight razor shaving

Most magazines are pure advertisement platforms, but this is a new low

Originally Posted by RobinK

So, in the US, you can have a "list price" which has not been set by the manufacturer or wholesale distributor? How droll. And thanks for the link!

Any road, substantial sales would almost inevitably point towards eBay, where the average retail price appears to be $12, ie significantly lower than the "RRP" of $59.99.

Do not confuse the regulation in Canada with the regulation/s in the US dealing with the same subject. They could just as easily differ.

Bob

Bob, despite me being Canadian, I was referring to legislation from the US Federal trade commission.

Originally Posted by MichaelP

Most magazines are pure advertisement platforms, but this is a new low

+1! Someone should let this author know that instead of helping our population survive and grow, he has for whatever reason, promoted a place that has turned off more new people who have not been able to be successful as a result of these products promoted in my opinion. Don't get this at all. WOWZA!!

Originally Posted by Badgister

Bob, despite me being Canadian, I was referring to legislation from the US Federal trade commission.

My Bad


Bob

Originally Posted by JTmke

What is sad is the opportunity that has been lost. The basic idea of the article is maybe men should take a look at the way they shave. Unfortunate the writer failed to do any real work, googled straight razor and called the first hit as the expert allowing them to sell their wares instead of informing men about a truly better, more enjoyable way to remove hair from our mugs.

This looks like a very good PR/Communications team at work. The vendor wrote most of the article and pitched it to the magazine (I suspect).
A basic web search and journalism 101 would have turned up user based forums (Like this one) and the very important "how to get started" section on the left side of the start page.

But that would involve that work thingy....cut and paste is much easier...
A more balanced article would have included not only other Vendor sites but also user forums and links to "how to get started" along with the caution that this is a skill to be mastered.

Most people understand that buying the best surfboard, golf clubs, guitar or F1 car does not make you (instantly) a Surfer, Golf Pro, Rock Star, F1 leader...
I suspect that the "model" Straight shaver here spent some time reading, lurking and viewing videos before they made the leap.

Unfortunately articles like this do Wet Shaving and Straight razors (and the readers who shave) a disservice in the long and short run.
And don't forget the massive add buys of the multi blade razor/canned goo world...
Their budgets shape much of what we are exposed to...

Smooth shaving...

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

My first encounter with you is about Thater brushes and there supremacy for $100. Now you espouse the use of a Gold Dollar?? The two seem to be diametrically opposed.

Not necessarily. I really like a good price/performance ratio. Which is why I own neither any custom razors, nor any custom brushes. I am more than willing to spend €175 for an Aust or a Revisor, because I know how much time went into them. I am certainly not willing to spend the same amount for a brush whose knot was bought in China and cost $5 if the buyer knew what he was doing.

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

Your response (decent shave) would be a saving grace.

Well, the thing with Gold Dollar razors is this: They are made from good steel. In fact, if you used them in a blind test, you would not be able to distinguish them from any custom razor I have used as far as performance is concerned. Their problem is the abysmal quality control and the work one has to put into two thirds of them - on average - to make them easily usable. I do, however, find it amusing that a forum which devotes epic threads to the "restoration" of eBay junk not worth its shipping costs would find fault with cheap, good, and reasonably easily fixed razors. But then again, I could not be bothered with either. I do not care for junk, and I certainly do not wish to own a Gold Dollar, if only because the scales are an eye sore. But they are not bad razors per se, certainly not more so than your average eBay razor. As I said, they are decent once made shave ready.

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

I do agree with you on the unethical manner of the article and the slimy redirects.

I am not sure it is just unethical. I am fairly certain it is illegal. It certainly is under EU law, and I would be surprised if it were not under US law, too.

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

And please understand this is not an attack on you personally just the disparity of the 2 products which I have encountered you commenting on.

Never fret. I have been around on the interwebs for many, many years. I like a good argument, and it is very difficult to make me take something personally. And as they say, if you cannot stand the heat and all that

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

I also want to see the majority of men globally return to wet shaving and this article wont help.

It will not, but neither will the vast majority of "reviews" in online fora, cf How To Grow A Moustache aka Petal Pusher Fancies aka God knows what else.

I'm going to be "That Guy". I came over to SRP because of an article like that. Not because it directed me here, but because I liked what I read as opposed to what they were pitching. Being a contractor I am used to researching what I buy so I looked around the "internerd" and other forums. This one badger and blade and another one or so. I can't remember it was when my son was first born and he's in first grade now. Bader and blade may not have been one but its beside the point. I looked at several of the cheapies on Ebay and noticed the cost differences between those and the vintage ones on the list here.... I could yammer on an on as to my reasons but I discerned that I wanted to buy a straight razor and joined this site. So the effects of a sales pitching article like this may not be all bad. Mostly but not all.

Luckily there are folks like us and sites like this to help folks. Luckily when I decided to delve into this I lurked here for about two months and learned a lot before sinking cash into crap that may have otherwise deterred me from sticking with straights.

On a other forum I won a pif give-away for my straight, it was a Gold Dollar which a good honner honned.
That was in june this year and now I am hooked on straight razor shaving ( only shaved with my DE 6 times since) after the innitial shaves I bought a nice vintage 7/8 herder and now I have a few others, but the Gold Dollar when properly honned can give you a good shave.