Thread: Art of Shaving - they found a loophole

As some of you know I've just been informed of their reputation with the liberal use of the term "shave ready". I just called their customer service and asked them to define the term. They told me all of their razors are sharpened by hand and therefore vary by razor. I told them the razor I received was not sharp. Their response was, essentially, that it was not their fault the razor is not as sharp as I would personally like and therefore should have it professionally honed. I made the comment that, by using that logic, they could sell steel bricks and label them as razors. They did not understand.

So basically they sold me a dull razor falsely labeled, and because of some crafty wording in some disclaimer I've never seen they can tell me to piss off because it's not their fault I have higher expectations when spending over $200.

How long have been shaving with a straight?

I haven't. Because I can't really call whatever it was I did with their razor "shaving". If you're implying that my form is faulty rather than the razor, I can assure you that is not the case. This razor won't even take hair off of my arm. I know it's not a perfect test, but it's good for a general idea.

You have to understand that it isn't just AOS that is promoting that idea

It is actually rare that any Vendor really gets their razors "Shave Ready" to what we here at SRP consider shave ready in fact SRD is the only one that I know of that does this with every new razor they sell..

AOS is simply saying the same thing that DOVO and TI tells them when they buy the razors from the makers..

You might also take a second to read this thread I did last year at this time about this exact problem


http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ry-2012-a.html

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You have to understand that it isn't just AOS that is promoting that idea

It is actually rare that any Vendor really gets their razors "Shave Ready" to what we here at SRP consider shave ready in fact SRD is the only one that I know of that does this with every new razor they sell..

AOS is simply saying the same thing that DOVO and TI tells them when they buy the razors from the makers..

You might also take a second to read this thread I did last year at this time about this exact problem


http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ry-2012-a.html

Ah I see. I read several of your articles before I finally joined but I missed that one. My lather is good because I've been shaving with a DE for the past few months. I'll be sending it off for honing regardless, it just annoys me that so many people buy into their claims and then they say things like they've said to me.

Originally Posted by moderngentleman

I haven't. Because I can't really call whatever it was I did with their razor "shaving". If you're implying that my form is faulty rather than the razor, I can assure you that is not the case. This razor won't even take hair off of my arm. I know it's not a perfect test, but it's good for a general idea.

I am not implying anything, but we need to be fair and make sure all possibilities are covered. I personally hone anything that I buy no matter how shave ready it is supposed to be. Just send the razor out for honing and be happy with it.

If you think the razor should have been sharp; wait until you by a new hone and think that it should have been flat!
Shaving isn't fair.

Originally Posted by Johnus

If you think the razor should have been sharp; wait until you by a new hone and think that it should have been flat!
Shaving isn't fair.

It's best if I don't start buying hones. As obsessive and detailed as I am, there wouldn't be any blade left by the time I was happy with the edge, haha.

You're not the only one. I was just recently contacted by a local that bought a razor at the AOS. He was extremely disappointed as they told and sold him the razor being shave ready. Of course it was not.

This is actually an interesting thread.

AOS, owned by P&G have locations in larger higher end malls across the country. On one hand, this is very good as more of the mainstream public is getting exposed to wetshaving and straight razor shaving. On the other hand, the straight razors are still being honed as they come direct from the manufacturer (Dovo and TI) and few of the AOS staff that I have met in stores across the country really know anything about wet shaving and less about straight razor shaving. I have tried to contact the corporate headquarters of AOS to set up a better training system for their folks, but have been given the great corporate shrug off.....

On the other hand, this forum was founded to help preserve the art and help people become successful so that they could in turn pass on the knowledge. Our membership is doing a wonderful job of this and we have people all over the world helping other people.

The best news is that at least AOS sells good stuff and there are enough other vendors out there pushing substandard razors and driving wetshavers away from the sport before they get a chance to fall in love with it.

I think the best thing we can do is assure the folks that pick up kit from AOS that they have done well, not discourage them and then help them get their razors sharp and learn to look forward to shaving every day.

Have fun.