does price matter?

i see lots of razors out there some, including the brands listed here that are good to buy, are reasonably priced mine was a little over 100 dollars but i see some well into the hundreds. Now I realize custom producers have to get more because of the time involved, and I am not complaining my question is are straight razors like toilet paper the cheaper they are the worst they hurt or can a more reasonable mass manufactured razor do the same job as a high end one or custom, or is the price more reflective of all the bells and whistles?

If a razor is made of quality steel and honed properly it will shave well.
Vintage 35 bucks razor will shave just as well as a new production razor.
The way I see it, the price for a new razor would reflect the amount of sophistication of the blade and scales. More detail and time involved in the blade making, and more expensive materials involved in the scales of a razor= higher price asked.
The more sophisticated blades are also IMO very collectible and people buy them.

It's really tough to follow someone like Mainaman. But yeah, what he said.

I have razors over 200 yrs old, I have razors made in the last few years, I have some I have payed nothing for and I have some that cost a few bucks. Each and everyone of them handles a little differently, but each and every one gives me a shave that shames any modern device or contraption.

If you are wanting to get into this find something you like with one of the vendors here on SRP or something listed in the classifieds. Stay away from any razor made in China, stick to razors made in the US, Britain, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Russia or France.

As soon as you get a decent sheffield or solingen blade, the shave will be the same as if you have a more expensive razor. The extra money you pay for a more expensive razor are because of materials, hours worked, brand name, etc.

i'd like to offer up this opinion. all things equal like blade size, grind, and metal, the brand almost does seem superfluous. however finding that particular razor blade size/style may be easier through branding though...

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Originally Posted by globaldev

i'd like to offer up this opinion. all things equal like blade size, grind, and metal, the brand almost does seem superfluous. however finding that particular razor blade size/style may be easier through branding though...

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Hmmmm I would have to disagree there, considering that about 90% of my collection falls into 5/8-6/8 extreme hollows with spike points, and there are differences that are noticable between not only brands, but within a brand...

to the OP: No price doesn't matter, but quality does :)

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hmmmm I would have to disagree there, considering that about 90% of my collection falls into 5/8-6/8 extreme hollows with spike points, and there are differences that are noticable between not only brands, but within a brand...

to the OP: No price doesn't matter, but quality does :)

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Seconded. Of the three Clauss blades I've got, two are the same grind and style but were made years apart. There's a noticeable difference in how they take and hold an edge. All three are superb razors.

glen, i am gonna have to defer to your experience, you have seen more than what i have seen. However, as a point of discussion considering my collection of only about ~30 straights, which truly doesn't seem to have that type of distribution. i don't know if it's on purpose or subconsciously i was doing this...

i was kind of talking to some of the well known brands, like dovo, dublduck, filarmonicas, the W&B, TI, pumas, le grelot, etc. I feel those have a general style of blade... i know it's not absolute, but it's just a consideration. I understand torreys, rodgers and others span quite a bit of blade variety. I know i am not hitting on the vast majority of blades known, just those that seem to be more mainstream at this moment to me.

edit-i think i just took this off topic, apologies to the OP.

to his question... i agree with mainaman. i guess i was over-thinking the question...

Some razors develop a 'cult following' and become worth a lot more, not because they are far superior to similar brands, but they become a collectible. I have owned some custom razors that , while they probably didn't shave any closer or better than mass produced brands, the quality of the blade work, scales, and the overall ambiance made them worth the extra $ paid, to me personally. Obviously YMMV.