Thread: Branded T&H Wapi

I have very mixed feelings about T&H. Their head store in St James Street, London, is a great place to visit, and their resident barber "Jimi the Knife" (I kid you not!) is probably the most experienced in his field in London and gives an amazing shave. They are always friendly and courteous, and treat customers like royalty (I guess that's why they are By Royal Appointment the barbers for Prince Philip).

But to the general paying public, their prices are nothing short of rip-offs. The luxury shave costs £35 (£20 would be more reasonable, and I'm sure would give them more revenue in the long run) and their products in the shop are outrageously priced.

Today I dropped into the store to buy a friend a badger-hair brush plus shave soap for his 40th birthday. The idiot in me left it to today to sort out (his party is in the pub tonight) so I had no opportunity to buy one online. So I paid for it. The cheapest, smallest, miniature super badger hair brush was £43.50!!

OK, so I'm grumbling, they give me £3.50 off the total as a sop, and I'm jujst about to leave when something familiar under the glass counter catches my eye. I'll be damned if it's not what looks like a Wapi with its original stainless steel scales and a very poorly printed T&H branding on the scales -- VERY poorly printed as the black transfer was already rubbing off in parts.

So I ask to look at it. I open it up and sure enough it's a Wapi. Not the kind with a triangular stamp, but exactly the same size and shape as one of the early ones I picked up off woj on ebay last year. Back then, I bought two from woj at the price of £13.50. I know they've appreciated in value, some appear to be sold at £10-£15 maximum.

So how much were T&H charging for their crappily branded version?

£70!
That, my friends, is nothing short of a good old fashioned rip off.

As I started to pay for the brush they tried to upsell me a stand, saying it was necessary. I just about lost it with the guy as I started to tell him about capillary action, checked myself, and realised what a nutter I probably came across as. Well, I just don't know how to feel about them. I guess they aren't the first 'luxury' brand provider and won't be the last, but it still grates to think of that Wapi which they ruined with their livery and were trying to sell at scam-merchant prices.

BTW, anyone wanting a shave there (and I do recommend them if you can look past the price -- it is indeed a great experience) there will apparently be a promotion in November offering half-price shaves which is tied in with a men's charity for prostate cancer, so both a good cause and a good price. This was strictly on the QT I was told as it has yet to be announced (yeah, right!).

Like I said, I just don't know how to feel about them. I won't be buying their products again, but I'll still go for that special shave once a year.

Now that is the limit! If they keep that up, they will lose all of their hard-earned reputation!

Seriously!

Mark

Well I've never heard of them and now won't be going, but there are a couple of points to remember.

It is London, prime location London too. I'm sure it costs a fortune to rent the shop in James's St. and that will be reflected in teh price of goods, and we are used to buying online where teh sellers have very few overheads by comparison and so can afford to charge a lot less.

However, 70 quid is a f#@%ing joke by any standards.

I'd have driven home the point about capillary action and asked if he thought trying to rip off a man who plays with straight razors for fun was a good idea.

I went in once myself and only really wanted to get some 1805 cream. While I was there a woman was selling another woman a brush stand. She told her it was essential to keep the hairs from falling out. After the customer had finished her purchase and left, I mentioned to the clerk that I'd done research into the matter and that hanging the brush makes no difference. "If you think about it", she argued, "with gravity, the water has to come down". I indicated that that wasn't necessarily true and asked her how sap flows up a tree. Her eyes darted away and she said she didn't know anything about any of that and that she was speaking for the years of experience at the shop and if I liked I could wait and talk to the head barber who was right in the back, in full view and audible range of us ... I was on vacation and had better things to do with my time than argue with a barber about physics. I paid for my cream and left. Damn good cream.

X

Originally Posted by xman

I went in once myself and only really wanted to get some 1805 cream. While I was there a woman was selling another woman a brush stand. She told her it was essential to keep the hairs from falling out. After the customer had finished her purchase and left, I mentioned to the clerk that I'd done research into the matter and that hanging the brush makes no difference. "If you think about it", she argued, "with gravity, the water has to come down". I indicated that that wasn't necessarily true and asked her how sap flows up a tree. Her eyes darted away and she said she didn't know anything about any of that and that she was speaking for the years of experience at the shop and if I liked I could wait and talk to the head barber who was right in the back, in full view and audible range of us ... I was on vacation and had better things to do with my time than argue with a barber about physics. I paid for my cream and left. Damn good cream.

Great story X. Your story reminded me of a poem by Bukowski called Vegas. Check it out if you haven't read it.

I love the 1805 scent. I got a sample of the cologne from SRD. I would love a whole shaving set of 1805.