Stirling Soap 316 Stainless Steel Razor

ezlovan any updates on when you expect these to be available for purchase?

gwsmallwood I have two thirds of the handles and all of the top caps in hand. I'm just waiting on the remainder of the handles and all of the base plates to make it back from the polisher.

Every time I've said a date, I've been wrong, so I'm just going to say they are still coming. We're likely just going to release them all at once (including the original batch that was actually made in China - we'll grind the "Made in the USA" etching off of them) and be done with them. I love these razors, but until I can afford my own CNC machine and polishing and etching machines, I'm out of the razor game. By the time it's all said and done, we'll likely lose money on them. Took too long to get them finished and to market, and the market is more crowded today than ever. We were originally going to have them listed in the 200-215 range, but now I don't even think we'll sell them for $150. Likely more around $125, which will at least allow me to break even on my machining, polishing, etching, and packaging costs. The development costs won't ever be recouped unless the day comes that I can get my own machines and make them in house.

Right now I just want to be done with them so I can focus on other things.

Rod ezlovan I am so sorry that this ended up being the nightmare it has for you. You deserved better !!! I hope that day of you doing them in-house comes for you and your family !!

ezlovan any updates on when you expect these to be available for purchase?

gwsmallwood I have two thirds of the handles and all of the top caps in hand. I'm just waiting on the remainder of the handles and all of the base plates to make it back from the polisher.

Every time I've said a date, I've been wrong, so I'm just going to say they are still coming. We're likely just going to release them all at once (including the original batch that was actually made in China - we'll grind the "Made in the USA" etching off of them) and be done with them. I love these razors, but until I can afford my own CNC machine and polishing and etching machines, I'm out of the razor game. By the time it's all said and done, we'll likely lose money on them. Took too long to get them finished and to market, and the market is more crowded today than ever. We were originally going to have them listed in the 200-215 range, but now I don't even think we'll sell them for $150. Likely more around $125, which will at least allow me to break even on my machining, polishing, etching, and packaging costs. The development costs won't ever be recouped unless the day comes that I can get my own machines and make them in house.

Right now I just want to be done with them so I can focus on other things.

That's too bad. I understand the frustration, as well as the market saturation, but I do think these razors had a very unique feel and filled that narrow niche that you were targeting in the first place. I've only tried a handful of the higher end razors, but I suspect the efficiency on these is rather unique. Most of the vendors just try to add efficiency by increasing the gap. I don't personally think that makes for the best feeling razor. Yours were designed in every aspect to be ultra-efficient with a decent, but not overpowering amount of blade feel. Everyone else designs a razor to meet the largest demand, right in the middle, and then just adjusts the blade gaps to pull in as much of the rest of the bell curve as possible.

To me, that makes your offering stand out from the crowd a bit.

I'm only half joking by saying you should sell the razors first to the Passaround participants for $200 and then sell them to the public for less. :-)

ezlovan, your work with the shaving community, and particularly here at DFS, speaks volumes.  May this experience prove to be only a dip in the road on the way to many Stirling Soap Co. successes.

$125 for these razors is a steal! I almost feel bad for buying them at such a low price, but it won't prevent me from doing so

ezlovan sorry to hear about the misfortune with these razors Rod. I know you had such high hopes and have been following from the beginning. Seems like everything that could go wrong, did for the most part. They're artfully crafted and different than most other "dupe" razors out there. You have a customer for an SA razor whenever they're released! I've been waiting since the original release date with money set aside!

bumping this as I merged the new temp thread back in with the original thread.

ezlovan any updates on when you expect these to be available for purchase?

gwsmallwood I have two thirds of the handles and all of the top caps in hand. I'm just waiting on the remainder of the handles and all of the base plates to make it back from the polisher.

Every time I've said a date, I've been wrong, so I'm just going to say they are still coming. We're likely just going to release them all at once (including the original batch that was actually made in China - we'll grind the "Made in the USA" etching off of them) and be done with them. I love these razors, but until I can afford my own CNC machine and polishing and etching machines, I'm out of the razor game. By the time it's all said and done, we'll likely lose money on them. Took too long to get them finished and to market, and the market is more crowded today than ever. We were originally going to have them listed in the 200-215 range, but now I don't even think we'll sell them for $150. Likely more around $125, which will at least allow me to break even on my machining, polishing, etching, and packaging costs. The development costs won't ever be recouped unless the day comes that I can get my own machines and make them in house.

Right now I just want to be done with them so I can focus on other things.

ezlovan do you intend to sell only the razor head? 

ezlovan do you intend to sell only the razor head? 

Originally I did, but since we're no longer planning to do a second run, they will only be available as a complete set.

Hey guys, just wanted to give a quick update on the whereabouts of the razor. The package has finally made it to my PO Box. And I should be able to pick it up tomorrow.