In Favour of Sincerity

Well, count me as one of the skeptics of the benefits of the super-high-end shaving stuff.

I've used cheap razors (sub-$10 OCMM's, for example) and very expensive razors (a Wolfman WR1-SB). Now, I have to admit that I only had the WM for 4 days on loan from a friend, so take my experience for what it is -- I didn't have time to get familiar with the razor. Was the build, fit and finish of the WM great? - Absolutely! Did it matter to me? - Yeah, to some extent, but not to the point of making me want to go out and get one. Was the shave good, yes, but not any better than what I can get from a Rockwell or my OCMM (which I preferred to the WM). Was my experience what everyone else can expect? No, probably not. It didn't make we want to go out and waste my money on a WM, though. The WM was better than most razors as a shaver, but not as good as some for me and it was certainly more expensive than any safety razor I have tried so the cost/benefit ratio did not work out.

Similarly, I was the proud owner of a Tim Zowada custom Damascus straight. Cost me a little more than $1000. It was a masterpiece! I loved the fact that he smelted the steel, made the blank, and then proceeded to craft a wonderful razor. It took a wicked edge, and shaved wonderfully. It did not shave any better than my $20 Genco, though. The TZ was certainly more lovely, and felt really nice in the hand. The Genco suited me better when it came to grind and weight, and I still have it, while I sold the TZ (under duress, it must be said). As far as I could tell, they took about the same edge (I hone my straights), and held it for about the same amount of time. One was a work of art, the other was utilitarian. They both did the same job equally well.

Now, I'm really happy that there are craftsmen dedicated enough to make super-high-end razors. They are producing something that there is obviously a market for. There are people for whom this really matters.

I value practicality - I want my tools to work really well and be affordable to me. The WM and TZ are both great tools, but lose out on the cost/benefit front for me. There are other, much cheaper razors in each category, that do the job at least as well as the expensive one (and much better, in the case of the WM). I'll keep the better tool and sell the more expensive one (or not buy it, in the case of the WM).

Yohann, I'm a skeptic also. I'm also inherently frugal, I MUST(!) get something for the $ spent or I didn't spend it well, and that would just tick me off.

I love that there are newly made razors. I think it's healthy for our hobby and hygienic necessity. Tooling and machining costs money and frankly these razors are things of beauty. But I get BBS now and if I spend 10x the money for a razor will I get a 10x better BBS? Of course the answer is "No.". So I have refrained from buying any of them. Heck, I haven't bought anything for shaving in years so it's not like I'm on a boycott of new items. I spent years trying this and that to decide that once one finds what one likes after that it's technique that gets the job done.

In the sport I compete in some of us have a saying, "It's not the bow it's the Indian.". Shaving is like that as well.

I agree ShadowsDad , I think humans are wired for economy as a survival strategy.  Why then do people spend money on luxury items when you can get items that do the same thing for less money?  Social status  - humans are social creatures and social hierarchy and status are important.  I think people have to take steps on line so that you can see their status.  You wouldn't drive by your neighbours in your Ferrari and shout out the window "hey look at my Ferrari it cost $200K!" because they can see you in it and draw the inference.  Not the same on line so you have to shout out the window so to speak.  Its how we humans organize ourselves for better or worse

I agree ShadowsDad , I think humans are wired for economy as a survival strategy.  Why then do people spend money on luxury items when you can get items that do the same thing for less money?  Social status  - humans are social creatures and social hierarchy and status are important.  I think people have to take steps on line so that you can see their status.  You wouldn't drive by your neighbours in your Ferrari and shout out the window "hey look at my Ferrari it cost $200K!" because they can see you in it and draw the inference.  Not the same on line so you have to shout out the window so to speak.  Its how we humans organize ourselves for better or worse

It's all for women say Old School anthropologists. To attract a mate in the long ago past you had to be a good hunter/gatherer and fighter. Today, those are not generally considered necessities, but we are still (both sexes) wired for it. Ugly & nerdy men use money or wax poetic about feelings to maintain a woman whose loins actually long for a Fabio type. We are not that far removed from the trees on the evolutionary scale. Attractive men who don't give a damn usually have to beat the dames off the with a club. e.g., James Bond.

I agree ShadowsDad , I think humans are wired for economy as a survival strategy.  Why then do people spend money on luxury items when you can get items that do the same thing for less money?  Social status  - humans are social creatures and social hierarchy and status are important.  I think people have to take steps on line so that you can see their status.  You wouldn't drive by your neighbours in your Ferrari and shout out the window "hey look at my Ferrari it cost $200K!" because they can see you in it and draw the inference.  Not the same on line so you have to shout out the window so to speak.  Its how we humans organize ourselves for better or worse

It's all for women say Old School anthropologists. To attract a mate in the long ago past you had to be a good hunter/gatherer and fighter. Today, those are not generally considered necessities, but we are still (both sexes) wired for it. Ugly & nerdy men use money or wax poetic about feelings to maintain a woman whose loins actually long for a Fabio type. We are not that far removed from the trees on the evolutionary scale. Attractive men who don't give a damn usually have to beat the dames off the with a club. e.g., James Bond.

Yes human evolution was pretty straightforward - you either fight it, eat it or breed with it mixed in with a certain amount of running away when none of those option would be wise.