Thread: $35 vs $199. Give me a reason!

Originally Posted by LinacMan

Now that's an oxymoron I've not heard before, LOL!

That what i was thinking!! Huge minimalist / pretty ugly / jumbo shrimp / wicked nice

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Play a $100 guitar and then pick up a Martin. The comparisons could go on and on.

This may be an unfair. If you compare a Yamaha to a Martin D28 on looks alone they will be very similar; compare the tones and the Martin will blow you away, whereas the Yamaha won't.

That is a functionality issue, which seems to be the opposite with razors. No matter how you look at it, as long as they have both been correctly honed, the $35 razor is going to serve the same function as the $200 razor, namely shaving whiskers off your face.

If you cant tell the diference,then there is no reason to buy the more expencieve one,if you can then you have your answer

Originally Posted by grant9908

So..... In the classifieds here, there are $35 straights and $199 straights. If they both shave just as well, then why would I ever spend the extra money. Convince me.

that's exactly what I was thinking when I started. now I've been into wet shaving for about 9 months. I got 12 straight, 3 De, 3 badger,1 boar, 1 synthetic brush,3 strops, 8 hones, 2 scutles, mugs, bunch of soaps,creams,oils and it doesnt seem to stop. I guess you'll never know what's gonna happen to u

Originally Posted by sigit666

that's exactly what I was thinking when I started. now I've been into wet shaving for about 9 months. I got 12 straight, 3 De, 3 badger,1 boar, 1 synthetic brush,3 strops, 8 hones, 2 scutles, mugs, bunch of soaps,creams,oils and it doesnt seem to stop. I guess you'll never know what's gonna happen to u

That sounds....... excessive.

Originally Posted by grant9908

So..... In the classifieds here, there are $35 straights and $199 straights. If they both shave just as well, then why would I ever spend the extra money. Convince me.

This thread already has alot of replies which outline virtually everything that needs to be discussed and more. I will add that 1) I am not a salesman, neither am I here to convince you how to spend your money 2) I will not give weight to anyone's advert in the classifieds over another, neither am I willing to discuss a given price.

It is obvious that scale material, brand, age and condition are all relevant factors. It is the same with any collectible commodity. A 30 dollar razor will give you a great shave and you need never spend another dollar on a razor ever again. It will likely be a no thrills razor. Simple.

Originally Posted by gugi

Not necessarily. If I list one of my Filarmonica or Dubl Duck razors for $199 in the classifieds, I am willing to bet good money that none of the $35 razors you'll see listed over say a 2 month period will shave as well as it.
But I also have another razor also in excellent condition that I doubt it can sell for more than $60 that will shave just as good as the Filarmonica or the Dubl Duck.
How a razor shaves should be a component of the price, but it's almost never the dominating factor.

I'll take it!!! What is your PayPal addy?

no, you won't

When I first started I wanted to try razors from the most popular brands to find out what works. I've learned that there are a great variety that shave great.

Grant,

There are several factors that affect the price of a razor, although in the end it all comes back to the supply -v- demand curve.

1) Not all razors shave equally. You might be able to find a $40 razor that shaves as well as a $200 one, and anyone with a half decent collection will have at least one of those. The problem is that you know when you buy a $200 razor that it will shave very well and you don't know if the $40 is going to be great, good, ok or rubbish.

2) Collectability. Some razors are more highly desired because they are seen as more desirable to collect. It is the nature of all collecting.

3) Non 'edge' factors. For some people all what they are interested in is a good shave. Other people want the fancy bells and whistles. A Wade and Butcher in black bakelite scales will sell for less than the same blade in engraved Mother of Pearl scales with silver inlay. Factors like engraving on the spine; engraving/etching on the blade; aesthetically pleasing tang design, gold washes etc. can help drive the price up.

4) Condition of the blade. Many people are happy with a blade that is slightly pitted and clean. A mirror finish is more desirable, partly because of the extreme amount of work someone has to put in to achieve that finish.

5) Honing. It takes a good amount of time to hone a razor to a serious edge. If you aren't doing it yourself you have to pay someone else to do it for you. If you buy a razor that someone else has honed you have to pay for their time and effort in doing so. A $40 razor that will cost you $20 to get honed costs the same as a $60 razor that is genuinely shave ready.