Thread: Difference in $100-$300-$500 Razor?

I've done a ton of reading and cannot seem to get a direct answer to this question:
Leaving the scales aside, and considering the same type material, what is the difference between a $100 Dovo, $250 Boker, $300 Thiers-Issard etc...etc...I am only talking about the blade. I understand scales can add quite a bit to the cost, but I'm just asking about the steel.

Thanks for the patience.

Just with my economists hat on, part of it could be economies of scale.

DOVO is, I believe, the largest manufacturer of straight razors, and could therefore benefit from economies of scale. Someone please correct me if there is a larger maker though..!

Boker also make pocket knives and kitchen knives, and could therefore cross subsidise some of their razor making costs. They will also have bladesmithing knowledge already in house.

I believe TI is the smallest of the three companies? And they only make razors? If so, no economies of scale and no X-subbing would push their unit cost up.

I've read a fair few posts here where people far more experienced and knowledgable than me, and who have handled far more razors, have said that theres not really much difference in the shave (and therefore I assume, the steel as well) between a $50 and a $150 razor, most of the difference is in the scales and finish like goldwash etc.

Hopefully some other members will add their thoughts as well!

I remember this test.

The difference is $200.... So the next number in the sequence should be $700.

TI has many razors that are made from steel different than what DOVO uses. THe historic blanks are considered to be better quality steel. TI blades are also more decorated, worked backs, spanish points etc. DOVO is pretty basic round or spike point.

The answer is . . . um . . . the price?!

Sorry, I don't mean to be a smart ass, but the problem might be in the way you're phrasing the question. When you say "what is the difference", it kind of sounds like you might be asking "what's the difference in the actual whisker removal properties" of these razors. And I think most people would tell you here that the difference is nothing, assuming that all three have been properly honed and stropped and are being used by an experienced straight razor shaver on identical whisker growth with identical skin prep.

The problem is that the question "what is the difference" might also mean "why does one razor cost more than the other when all three are obviously just razors?" And the answer to that question is, well, pretty obvious -- even if you ignore differences in the scales and you assume that all three are made from identical quality steel using identical processes, each razor is a different brand, and each brand is made by a manufacturer who gets to price that brand according to what he thinks the market will respond to. So both a Chevy and a Cadillac are cars, and there's even Chevys that have just as many luxury features as a Cadillac, but the Cadillac will always cost more because that's how GM chooses to price them. Some people want the Cadillac and want to pay for it. Other people say "it's just a car" and buy the Chevy.

There's another small fallacy in your question too. I think if you look around, you will find plenty of Dovos that cost $250 or $350. You refer to a $100 Dovo, which I would think is Dovo's entry level razor, but that does not mean that Dovos are all $100 or that the other brands are not also available for $100. I mean, it's like anything else -- if you want to spend $100 for your razor, there's brands who want to sell you their models. If you want to spend $1000 for your razor, there's brands who want to sell you their razors.

I own a $100.00 Dovo Special that outshaves an $800.00 TI Damascus by far. Paying a lot of money for a razor will not guarantee you a good shave. there are a lot of factors involved in this. The only reason to pay a lot for a razor is collectability, I guess.

Chris

Well if you look at TI and at Dovo they have entry level to high end. Scales and decoration have something to do with it but I don't know what the steel differences are. IIRC TI announced that they would be mfging all of their new production with the steel used in the Silverwing. I know Dovo uses stainless in a model or two and Swedish in one or more. Not sure anyone can answer that question definitively.

You can't just tear it apart that way....

You have to look at the overall product and then see the difference in price...

Here is a for instance
I buy a block of Bocote wood for scales about $3
I buy a block of Amboyna Burl $29

Both are 1.5 x 1.5 x 6 I can cut 6 blanks from each so enough for three razors

BUT the Burl is way, way, way, more likely to crack, split, warp, when I work the scales... So I have to figure the cost per set at $20 where the Bocote is an beautiful wood to work with, and finish, so the cost per set is $1

Now the work is the same BUT the material cost is way different...

Same as say the finish on the steel itself is is a simple working satin or has it been polished to mirror???

The more polishing, the more that can go wrong, so you have to figure that in the cost too...

Now granted I am looking at this on a small scale but it still has to be taken into account...

As to the actual edge of the blade I bet hardly anyone on here can tell the difference in a blind shave test... There are a few that could tell the difference while honing....

So yes much of the cost is in the aesthetics

Don't leave $10 Gold Dollars out of the equation either!

I'm still trying hard to get my $100, $200, and $300 razors to shave better than my Gold Dollar. (Granted they look a hell of a lot better!)