Scarcity, perceived value, etc.

I agree with Steve, and if folks are looking for an alternative to Wolfman in the luxury class, I highly recommend taking a peek at Carbon Shaving Co.  

The proprietor is really putting out some nice razors, and after using mine a few times now I can without reservation say it is the nicest shaving DE that I have ever used!  In addition, the fit and finish are in the elite class.  I equate the Carbon Shaving razor to being a cross between a 1946-47 Gillette Aristocrat and a STAR Model 100...perfection.

Hey Steve56....stunning stunning gentleman sets!!!  Three thumbs up on those!

Vr 

Matt

Today’s shave with a Wilkinson Light Brigade on it’s 5th use loaded into the Carbon razor!

So I perused the Carbon website and I am indeed impressed by their machine work, but I couldn't help but notice this there:

Thin-Vintage Design Inspired from the 1940 Classic Razor

OK, but what? A Gillette that I can buy the original for $20 & under on Ebay? 

BPman,

Sure there are cheaper options for razors, and many roads lead to Rome...or in this case an irritation free BBS result.  

I can give myself a BBS shave with one of my STAR Model 100 razors, or one of my Gillette Techs...but that does not mean I am done collecting razors, or trying new well made products.

A premium price for a premium product will not appeal to everyone.  However, for those who are in the market for a piece of high end kit...the Carbon Shaving Co is putting out some wonderful razors.

I think that you would be very happy indeed buying a nice Gillette Tech or Superspeed off of eBay.  I love those vintage razors, and they are superb shavers.

Vr 

Matt

I agree with Steve, and if folks are looking for an alternative to Wolfman in the luxury class, I highly recommend taking a peak at Carbon Shaving Co.  

lol.

this is the sort of misunderstanding that would cause someone to unironically equate a entry level tudor to an original GMT.

So I perused the Carbon website and I am indeed impressed by their machine work, but I couldn't help but notice this there:

Thin-Vintage Design Inspired from the 1940 Classic Razor

OK, but what? A Gillette that I can buy the original for $20 & under on Ebay? 

The only similarity is the triangle slots. Everything else is different, blade gap, exposure, etc.
The Cx shaves nothing like a tech, something I appreciate.

So I perused the Carbon website and I am indeed impressed by their machine work, but I couldn't help but notice this there:

Thin-Vintage Design Inspired from the 1940 Classic Razor

OK, but what? A Gillette that I can buy the original for $20 & under on Ebay? 

The only similarity is the triangle slots. Everything else is different, blade gap, exposure, etc.
The Cx shaves nothing like a tech, something I appreciate.

OK, I'll bite. What makes it $200+ better?

So I perused the Carbon website and I am indeed impressed by their machine work, but I couldn't help but notice this there:




OK, but what? A Gillette that I can buy the original for $20 & under on Ebay? 

The only similarity is the triangle slots. Everything else is different, blade gap, exposure, etc.
The Cx shaves nothing like a tech, something I appreciate.

OK, I'll bite. What makes it $200+ better?

No one can answer that question for you expect for you. Not a very helpful answer, but it's the truth. Plus I don't want to go down the whole premium vs budget razors path since it's been beaten to death everywhere.

Years ago, on B&B, the topic of a possible stainless steel DE came up. I said then that because of difficulty in machining, eating up expensive cutting bits, the cost would be prohibitive. It wouldn't be like your $40 USD Merkur. 

Well the cost ain't cheap, but apparently not prohibitive, and now there is a renaissance of DE shaving, and gear to go with it. 

I just picked up a stainless Lv 3 Charcoal Goods. I was somewhat reluctant, I figured how much better can it be than the brass CGs I have already have.

Man! This razor is in a class by itself, and I'd put it up against any in my den past or present. 

Reasonably priced by current standards too !

I’m not commenting on price on the $2K BBS-1 thread so as to abide by the BST rules, so I’ll do it it here. 

If a Ti WR2 recently sold for $1400 (listed for, in reality, not sold), why would that make a SS BBS-1 “worth” $600 more? 

There are 421 SS BBS-1s. I’m willing to bet there are far fewer Ti WR2s. If I had to guess, there are probably no more than 60-75 of them in the wild now. Sure, more will probably be produced, but 350+ more? I’m not so sure about that. Not to mention that the Ti WR2s out there are all different gap and comb combinations, not carbon copies of each other (like the BBS-1). I could be wrong, but I think there might be even fewer Ti WR1s in circulation. 

With that in mind, why on earth would anyone perceive the value of a SS BBS-1 to be more valuable than a Ti WR2 (or WR1)? If anything, the values should be flipped around. Of course, the Ti BBS-1 trumps them all.

You and I think a lot alike. I agree with all of your thoughts on numbers of Ti WR1s and WR2s. I've always thought there were less of them than BBS1s and should be worth more.

The only thing the BBS1 has is serial numbers and a finite number. I guess that matters more to collectors.

I'm more interested in the shave and any WR2 head in SS or Ti is a better shaver than the BBS1 for balance, if no other reason. The BBS1 head is too light and throws the balance off, making it handle heavy. Not a deal breaker, but not something many people note about them. The WR2 head has a more substantial presence to it that I can appreciate.