I've been lurking, keeping up with the discussion and forming my own thoughts, not that they really matter. Let me preface this by saying that I'm definitely not the target market for the reborn W&B, just like a large number who have already weighed in. If I was in charge of the this venture I would be taking a different approach with the marketing strategy. Of course I'm not in marketing so I'll simply accept the fact that these guys might know something I don't and wait to see how it all plays out.

Yet, for the sake of argument, I can see a possible strategy here. The Irontusk is obviously not being marketed to the budget shaver, in fact we might argue that it isn't being marketed to the straight razor shaver but to the straight razor collector. I can easily foresee the majority of the razors being sold spending their lives on display, or in a safe, never used for the purpose for which their predecessors have been designed. Call 'em the wet shaving equivalent of the "trailer queen."

Now, combine that with a business plan that includes, as we've been told, a number of razors that are intended for use. My expectation is that these razors are still going to be high-end offerings that will command a price along the line of a quality custom razor but those buyers exist. I know, many feel that the more basic razor should be marketed first (and I don't disagree) but there is a scenario where the current strategy makes sense.

The rebirth of the Wade & Butcher name is obviously interesting but it seems to be one that would be met with a certain amount of skepticism no matter the initial offering. What we have here is a high priced, collectors' razor that is meant to make a splash and generate talk. Whether or not you like the idea of W&B's reanimation or the razor they are planning on selling, we are talking about it. Suddenly the return of the W&B brand isn't a wait and see, it'll probably be junk, I can't believe some Pakistani managed to buy the name discussion but an ongoing, somewhat heated and certainly interesting conversation. So while we may not be willing to shell out $1800 for the Irontusk we may be open to the idea of the new Wade & Butcher and be primed for when they unveil the more reasonable product.