Thread: Have razor prices gotten out of control?

My impression is that we are caught up in a vicious circle, particularly on eBay. Our hobby has gathered more attention in the last year or so and people who have razors laying around their house of that find them on estate sales etc go on Ebay and check the sale prices on completed listings.

Then they take those prices as reference and price their own razors probably just based on the brand name. They may find that a Wade & Butcher FBU sold for $350 and they may have a half hollow W & B with a big frown and pitting all over the place but still they price it at $299 based on their flawed research. The problem is that they may actually sell at those outrageous prices, someone new to the hobby could have read on a shaving forum that the W & B are good shavers and not knowing any better goes and buys it, perpetuating this pricing distortion.

Well I'm neither hipster nor a collector. I was always interested in straight razor shaving but never followed through beyond an interest. But then I switched to shaving with a DE razor. I think many men are switching to DE shaving and in their search for information rediscover straight razor shaving.

Remember Lynn Abrams talk On November 10, 2011, hosted by Merz Apothecary and Smallflower.com "The Great Shave at the Palmer House in Chicago" in this talk Lynn mentioned he was thankful that the word was out and wet shaving was here to stay. Lynn continued that 10 years ago there was virtually no information on the internet.

During this talk Lynn mentioned that his mission was to spread the word of straight razor shaving. Well its working! So isn't it a good thing?

Originally Posted by Fort

Well I'm neither hipster nor a collector. I was always interested in straight razor shaving but never followed through beyond an interest. But then I switched to shaving with a DE razor. I think many men are switching to DE shaving and in their search for information rediscover straight razor shaving.

Remember Lynn Abrams talk On November 10, 2011, hosted by Merz Apothecary and Smallflower.com "The Great Shave at the Palmer House in Chicago" in this talk Lynn mentioned he was thankful that the word was out and wet shaving was here to stay. Lynn continued that 10 years ago there was virtually no information on the internet.

During this talk Lynn mentioned that his mission was to spread the word of straight razor shaving. Well its working! So isn't it a good thing?

Well, most certainly, for Lynn. He is in the business of traditional wet shaving after all! Not intending insult at all, but I'm just pointing out that it has to be good for business.


Mick

Originally Posted by WW243

Really no point in trying to figure out the market price for razors or stones. They are worth what people are willing to pay for them.

My thoughts exactly.

Originally Posted by MickR

Now really...Just how many razors do you need?!...


Mick

About 40 or 50 at least.

I think the prices are up because of the interest in the razors themselves. It is not only straights, but DE. razors as well. when I started buying them it was because I could no longer afford to by the modern monstrosities that are offered in the store. With me, and both my sons using the same blades, I could spend 75 bucks a month. When I found my old Gillette I started using it, but here the blades were hard to come by so I started Ebay for blades and razors for my boys. It was dirt cheep and I could pick up DE's for 5 bucks. I stumbled crossed straights and went from there. About two years ago, a local junk dealer had more straights and they two were dirt cheep, however when I returned last month the prices he had were incredibly high, when I asked about it he informed me that since I had started loads of people have come looking for them. It was the same in our local wal store. while in the shaving section an older gent had just informed me he had found a DE razor and was looking for blades, and without missing a beat, a younger man said that he to had found a DE and straight at a local shop. Both said that they got the De's as that they two could no longer afford the amount that was being charged by the Razor companies. I personally could never understand why a new straight razor is so expensive. hand made or not it is just something to shave your face but then again...maybe thats why

Originally Posted by Kees

Try German and French ebay, or Tradera (Swedish). Tradera even offers help in English.

Much better prices there.

No no, stay away!!!

Originally Posted by scotishcavalir

I think the prices are up because of the interest in the razors themselves. It is not only straights, but DE. razors as well. when I started buying them it was because I could no longer afford to by the modern monstrosities that are offered in the store. With me, and both my sons using the same blades, I could spend 75 bucks a month. When I found my old Gillette I started using it, but here the blades were hard to come by so I started Ebay for blades and razors for my boys. It was dirt cheep and I could pick up DE's for 5 bucks. I stumbled crossed straights and went from there. About two years ago, a local junk dealer had more straights and they two were dirt cheep, however when I returned last month the prices he had were incredibly high, when I asked about it he informed me that since I had started loads of people have come looking for them. It was the same in our local wal store. while in the shaving section an older gent had just informed me he had found a DE razor and was looking for blades, and without missing a beat, a younger man said that he to had found a DE and straight at a local shop. Both said that they got the De's as that they two could no longer afford the amount that was being charged by the Razor companies. I personally could never understand why a new straight razor is so expensive. hand made or not it is just something to shave your face but then again...maybe thats why

A new cut-throat doesn't have to be too expensive. They have a range of prices based on how pretty they look and the materials used to make them look that pretty. Whatever they're priced at, with care, your great grandsons will be using them long after you're gone, so I would say the outlay is justified.


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

A new cut-throat doesn't have to be too expensive. They have a range of prices based on how pretty they look and the materials used to make them look that pretty. Whatever they're priced at, with care, your great grandsons will be using them long after you're gone, so I would say the outlay is justified.


Mick

I think some guys here could easily supply everyones grandsons

Originally Posted by Lemur

No no, stay away!!!

Tried tradera, its all in Swedish.