Thread: Does cost of straights make for a better shave?

Provided the blade is made from high quality steel and sharpened correctly it will perform well in the hands of a competent shaver.
Much of the cost differentiation seems to lie in the cosmetic value, the scale material, engraving and so on.
If someone everyone recognises as an authority on the subject prefers a particular brand, then the price of those razors will go up.

Originally Posted by welshwizard

Provided the blade is made from high quality steel and sharpened correctly it will perform well in the hands of a competent shaver.
Much of the cost differentiation seems to lie in the cosmetic value, the scale material, engraving and so on.
If someone everyone recognises as an authority on the subject prefers a particular brand, then the price of those razors will go up.

Absolutely, after the first statement everything gets subjective and the price reflects that. Price is rarely a true reflection of value?

Custom razors could be regarded as an exception where bespoke craftsmanship comes into the equation but even then the time it takes to acquire a name starts to matter. Should state that I own no custom razors so am only extrapolating there.

I think the honing really makes all the difference. I dont think there will be much difference between a $50 and a $250 razor in terms of the actual shave. If the steels good and its well honed, then the rest of the money is really going on the scales and gold wash.

I have four razors in my main rotation; A DOVO Black Star, a DOVO Bismarck, a Boker Edelweisse and a Wacker Limited Edition. The Wacker was far and away the most expensive of the four, but it doesnt shave any better than the other three, and they've all been honed the same way.

I also reckon that a well honed Gold Dollar will shave better than a poorly honed DOVO.

At the end of the day, the only thing it comes down to is how good the edge is and all that affects the edge is the quality of the steel and the honing that has been done.

A case in point is the Gold Dollars, as well as the DOVO Best Quality razors. They are both no frills items, but because the steel is good and they take a good edge they are popular and shave well.

If you want to spend money on fancy scales and inlays, thats great, but it wont make the razor shave any better. It always comes back to the steel quality and the honing.

This is a hard one to answer because of the NOS and used razor market. For a "better" shave you can get that with almost semi-good quality razor but it will be a pain in the butt to keep the shaves consistent with some of them. However you do it, you have to buy quality. For instance, I like a 1/4, hard steel, and either a French point or Barbers notch razor. I am looking for a quality razor and how I obtain that depends on many variables. I have a Boker hollow that shaves extremely well but I have to refresh the edge every 4 shaves. I have the B&B Le Grelot that I can shave with for over a week and still not have an objectionable drop in performance. How much I paid for these two razor is very different but I prefer the Le Grelot because I don't like the constant refreshing of the Boker. I like the Boker but I don't use it as a daily shaver.

Take Care,
Richard

Expensive or not, for any single shave the honing combined with the quality of the steel will tell the tale. One of the best shaving razors I ever had was a rather inexpensive 6/8ths Shumate.

Razors made of poor steel, such as those found in the list of razors to avoid, don't take an edge to begin with.

I don't have any extravagant razors, but I have various low- to -mid-priced razors and I think the subtle differences are more attributed to the size and grind rather than the maker.

I think it would be interesting to have like a blindfolded shave test at the Asheville gathering. Shaving done by a barber, of course. Use a different razor for each lengthy stroke and see if the brave subject can tell the difference.

No. A good bay rum splash does! DUHHHH!!!!

Yup, you betcha -- what they said: I agree completely.



after the option of good steel has been satisfied, it is purely a matter of honing.

Originally Posted by richmondesi

Not in my experience. My most expensive razors don't perform any better than my Gold Dollar that I picked up most recently...

A new era of detante'!

Something Paul and I agree on---Gold Dollar razors!

My brother!

Originally Posted by Seraphim

A new era of detante'!

Something Paul and I agree on---Gold Dollar razors!

My brother!

Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about!