Thread: Joel's reviews / Puma Gold ???

Best razor?.....Several years ago I posed that question to the guys on the Yahoo SRP forum. I was new and wanted to have some guidance as to what to buy. The best answer that I received was from John Crowley ( If I recall correctly). He said......The best razor is the one that you have just honed to perfection!

How right he is,

Originally Posted by randydance062449

The best razor is the one that you have just honed to perfection!

Very well said!

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Best razor?.....Several years ago I posed that question to the guys on the Yahoo SRP forum. I was new and wanted to have some guidance as to what to buy. The best answer that I received was from John Crowley ( If I recall correctly). He said......The best razor is the one that you have just honed to perfection!

How right he is,

How true that is!!! In a sense, razors are like women... they're all different... and thank god we're not all lusting after the same one

I do not understand how on Joel's list he did not even mention Wade & Butcher, Boker, Fredrick Renolds, George Westenholm, Joseph Rodgers, or Bengall. It just seems wrong not to have these razors in the mix somewhere. I mean seriously these are all old school Sheffield steel. How can you not even include them?

Good to see the majority of people here at SRP have thier heads on straight; and realize it all really comes down to personal preferance. Every face, every blade is different. If it feels good do it. If if feels really good do it alot!

Hello,

Among vintage straights. Puma is generally at the top of the heap, Puma-Gold leading the pack. I have an example just like the one reviewed by Joel. It's not mint; had some very light pitting, polished off partly by myself and partly by Robert Williams (thanks again, Robert!). I did not pay even close to $400 for it, but I can see mint example fetching that kind of price. I have tried about two dozen straights (numerous Pumas, Friodurs, Henckels, Bengall, Sta-Sharp, Genco, Shumate, W&B, Wacker) , mostly honed by honemeisters, some by me, and Puma-Gold shaves just a tad better than all the others, with the exception of RW 6/8, 1/4 hollow. RW is a markedly better shaver. Steel, blade geometry, balance and heft, honing, RW's magic? Probably all of the above. Now, I want to be perfectly clear; I don't take an issue with the statements that $20 straight can shave as well as any custom made razor. I am merely saying that my Williams shaves markedly better than any other straight I have ever tried, and that includes numerous Pumas. Perhaps Iwasaki could outshave RW, but I have yet to try it. So far it simply sits in my drawer, along with mint 6/8 Puma Friseur Freund No. 1 and some Wapienicas, waiting for the hone. I am just that happy with Williams.
As a full disclosure, I will mention that there was a quality issue with the RW. As I expected, Robert stood behind his product and took care of it in no time. I respect that immensely and will ask him for another custom job when finances permit.

Regards,

Dariusz

Puma Gold 6/8 1967 price brand new in the box $7.50 (and I have the sales tickets to prove it.)I dont remember that they seemed to be that special at that time.I also have some Wonder Edges that were 6,50 ea from Cincinatti Barber Supply ,also in 1967.I just liked buying razors when I was a kid,and never dreamed they would be selling for these prices.Coffee was also 5 cents a cup(Holy S*** Starbucks) (Singer 45 ACP $45.00,mine is now worth 7000.00)The good old days were not so good 3 channels on TV /black and white/no remote,but then No AIDS,No Herpes,Free Love,and lots of it
Best Regards Gary

Originally Posted by Traveller

Puma Gold 6/8 1967 price brand new in the box $7.50 (and I have the sales tickets to prove it.)I dont remember that they seemed to be that special at that time.I also have some Wonder Edges that were 6,50 ea from Cincinatti Barber Supply ,also in 1967.I just liked buying razors when I was a kid,and never dreamed they would be selling for these prices.Coffee was also 5 cents a cup(Holy S*** Starbucks) (Singer 45 ACP $45.00,mine is now worth 7000.00)The good old days were not so good 3 channels on TV /black and white/no remote,but then No AIDS,No Herpes,Free Love,and lots of it
Best Regards Gary

Great post, Gary! Love it

Originally Posted by Traveller

Puma Gold 6/8 1967 price brand new in the box $7.50 (and I have the sales tickets to prove it.)...I also have some Wonder Edges that were 6.50 ea from Cincinatti Barber Supply ,also in 1967.I just liked buying razors when I was a kid,and never dreamed they would be selling for these prices.Coffee was also 5 cents a cup(Holy S*** Starbucks) (Singer 45 ACP $45.00,mine is now worth 7000.00)The good old days were not so good 3 channels on TV /black and white/no remote,but then No AIDS,No Herpes,Free Love,and lots of it
Best Regards Gary

The average income in 1965 was $28.6K, the average salary in 2005 was $41.4K (inflation adjusted dollars). That's only about a 40% increase (or 144% depending on how you look at it). source

From the inflation calculator it seems that in 1967 dollars, $6.50 would be worth $39 now, and $7.50 would be worth $45 in 2006 (they don't list 2007) dollars. Sh*t - we're all being ripped off for our razors!

Then again, a gillette fusion power is $13.50 (with only 1 blade to last you ~3 weeks) and 8 refill cartridges to last you 6 months are $30 (total = $41.50)

On the other hand, for the $0.05 coffee, with inflation it should only be $0.30 in 2006 dollars. The cheapest drip coffee (forget that tall latte soy mochachino for $6) I find at some hole-in-the-wall diner is a buck (about a 20-fold increase)... so maybe a $7 razor should be worth $140 now?

It seems clear though that in reality, while salary might not be keeping up with inflation, prices are rising, and by the time I have sons who want to shave, it'll cost them probably a week's pay to buy just one razor. Then again, maybe by the time I have sons the world will be overpopulatred, global warming will have melted all the polar icecaps and greenland, we'll be headed into an ice-age and shaving will be the least of man's problems.

if you're over 65 yrs old you can get a coffee for $0.75 at McDonalds...

Originally Posted by fredvs79

The average income in 1965 was $28.6K, the average salary in 2005 was $41.4K (inflation adjusted dollars). That's only about a 40% increase (or 144% depending on how you look at it). source


It seems clear though that in reality, while salary might not be keeping up with inflation,

Both median salary figures you cite are in 2005 dollars, so salaries have more than kept up with inflation.