Real question

How did the straight razor business (and a bunch of other cutlery) wind up in Pakistan? Is this a recent phenomenon, or did UK and/or German firms try to expand into the region for the sake of cheap labor/materials?

I'm a little perplexed because (a) there's uniform agreement that it's all junk (and I own some now, so I agree- chagrin) (b) yet places like ebay are filthy with the things. As such, where do they go?

Culturally, some portion of Pakistan is made up of sects that decry the cutting of male facial hair (and hide any female facial hair behind veils). Still, I'd surmise the broader segment of the male population still shaves. Are they getting Mach 5s and snickering up their sleeves at us?

Economic questions like this are fun to ponder for me, and I simply wondered if anyone has deep-level intel on this little trade issue.

There is money to be made, pure and simple.

But how does one make money in a niche market like straight razors with pure, unmitigated junk? The scale of the supply looks to be far beyond any possible demand, especially given the absence of quality.

Is there some other use for these junk razors? Are they quietly used as crack choppers or at-home bacon slicers?

Not trying to be dense here. Just incredibly curious about something that makes so little economic sense.

Well, if you look, you'll see that lots of people have bought or been gifted these razors when they didn't know any better. I would imagine there are more who haven't come forward and even more who are not on our site. Maybe some people buy them as novelty items; I've seen some collectors buy the seven day sets to display. In order to reach the conclusion that the businesses make no economic sense, you'd have to see their books. I, for one, have no idea what their sales are like.

Maybe the honemeisters of today are secretly selling the junk Pak steel, then people will flock to websites such as these, realize they have junk then it is too late. The addictions and AD begins.

I wouldn't call anyone who would do such a thing a honemeister. I know you're probably joking, but the thought of someone doing something like that is really beyond words. I only put it like that because I'd bet there is at least one person out there who does something like that (no one I know of, mind you, but I bet someone does).

Honemeister/ vendor, they all secretly plant Pakistanian steel on ebay.

But, yes, very much so joking. LOL.

Truthfully, I side with the questioning if the OP. I guess it goes to the posts on knock-off namebrand razors. The question is why would someone counterfit a namebrand straight? They are rapidly growing and perhaps in other countries popularity is strong. I understand this to be so of DE razors. I will say the Zeepks do put out some funky looking scales. They probably cost a quarter to make those "razors".

I think it's just one of those things where people are browsing Eboy and see straight razors dirt cheap and think wow, look at that I didn't think they still made those. I think I'll buy one for the cool factor. That's propbably how they are sold.

As the first response said, there is money to be made and they intend to take advantage.

Those razors have flooded the online marketplace because they're made cheaply and can be sold for next to nothing in order to turn a profit. The fact their Muslim population are told in the Koran to refrain from cutting their facial hair (aside from the upper lip, which is supposed to be trimmed and kept neat) doesn't affect their sales, I'm sure. Besides, what percentage of strict Muslim men do you suppose shave with a straight razor?