Thread: what's the price point for you collectible/custom?

all right guys, I'm curious, I was looking at a razor that started off reasonable. great condition with gorgeous bright lemon yellow handls. but the price looksl ike it'll end at 100 or higher. Large Clara Solingen Germany 488 Straight Razor w/Case - eBay (item 380048532702 end time Jul-29-08 18:40:00 PDT)

it seems that at that point you're starting to get into the custom realm. those wacker's are 185 with buffalo handles. of course the chandler's, ellis' are more money probably than the wackers. I'm just wonderig what the reasoning is behind paying so much for an antique that to the untrained me isn't higher quality than say the wacker.

Thanks

Red

The reasoning is simply, how bad do you want it compared to the other guy? The bids reflect how much someone wants that particular razor. I know that's an obvious statement but I thinks it's the best answer to your question.

maybe I didn't ask it right, I get that somebody wants it more than the other guy. what I'm curious about, is for other members here, at what point do you decide you'd rather have a nice custom razor rather than the collectible one that you may or may not be willing to shave with?

Red

First of all, I don't believe in collecting. I believe in honoring by using.

As for the price point, if would depends a bit on the type of steel and the scales. Is it plain steel or damascus, wootz, tamahagane? And are the scales celluloid or ivory? Things like that.

But given that 300$ goes a long way in custom razors, that would be the turning point for me.
For more than 300$ I can get a nice custom razor that will be made to my specifications.

While I really like some of those high priced ebay razors, and the customs are also beautiful, I can't imagine getting one for myself. I'm a grad student and, like Bruno, I'm a shaver. The razors that I have range in price from about $20 to $125 (don't ask which one was $20, I'll never say), and they are all outstanding shavers.

I know the customs and highend's would also provide superior shaves, but I feel that their prices are too high and the extra money is due to the "one of a kind" and aesthetics. Would I buy them if I could afford them? Absoloutely. Would I keep them? Only if they shave better than what I have.

I think in general about $350 starts custom territory but thats for a pretty basic razor made by someone who is not world class. if you want a world class maker it would probably start closer to about $600+. I don't think I would ever pay more that $300 for any vintage no matter the brand or how bad I wanted it. It would have to be really special to pay that much. To me there is a limit here. The vintage aspect does not outweigh the thought of getting a nice conservative custom for not much more.