Originally Posted by
CrisAnderson27
I like this.
In regards to your first point, I think I touched on that in the very first response I made to you. In a time when EVERY man who shaved his face, did so with a straight razor...only the most economically successful companies 'marketed' anything. We didn't have the internet, we didn't have a world where word could be spread about a product nearly instantaneously. A 'new' stone in Podunk MO, had probably been being used in New York for five years, and in Paris for twenty. Now, a new stone from Cottonwood AZ, can be in the hands of twenty people across the world within a week. The other factor to consider is that Terry is a one man show, as has been pointed out. It's economically viable for him to take advantage of a vein of stone that may only provide a hundred usable hones at best. Back in 1864, this business model simply wouldn't make sense. I totally understand your point in that established stones are established for a reason. I just don't think it applies in regards to today's world in an apples to apples fashion.
The latter part is definitely worth considering. That said...if the product performs...it performs. Will a Black Gila always be worth $250? Maybe...maybe it will climb in value as the availability drops? Maybe it will plummet like a...well, rock lol. All I can say is that as a person using one of these stones right now...I wouldn't trade it. Nor would I sell it. It's unique, and it works...and there's always the chance that the next one I get might not (it's a natural stone, there's duds in every brand of natural on the planet). Honestly, I feel like my stone is worth MORE, because to me, it's proven. So far, (unlike the Strata...which from my understanding Terry works very hard to warranty) I haven't heard of a single Black Gila yet that didn't work, and work well. For me this adds value as well for a new consumer who is looking to buy one. Enough to make them worth $250? Maybe? Maybe not? In the end that is very subjective. I can honestly say that for me, even for $250...in today's market of high priced rocks?...the stone would be worth it.