A manufacturing question for vendors

[GentsInstinct]

Not sure if this goes/is allowed here but it's the only place to target vendors.

This is mainly for vendors who outsource their product to a manufacturer rather than make the product themselves...

I've seen many a request for a double edge blade dispenser beyond the usual ones that hold 5 blades. I recently acquired an awesome DE blade dispenser that holds 50 blades and is refillable (see images below). That patent is from 1945 and as far as I can tell, is expired/was never renewed. I'm interested in perhaps bringing this dispenser back to life, with a few tweaks such as pre-packed magazines containing 50 blades from "your favorite brand" such as Feather, IP, etc. You buy a dispenser and 1 or more "magazines" of blades. From that point, as long as your dispenser is in good working order, you only need to buy more "magazines", pop the top on your dispenser, set the magazine down in it, replace the top and go. If your dispenser is EOL, you can buy another one. They should be cheap as they are mostly plastic save for the tension arm inside keeping pressure on the blades holding them up for dispensing.

So, where would I go to check into this. Manufacturers, etc. Or maybe it's something one of you vendors are interested in doing/adding to your lineup. Or maybe I'm just wishful thinking.

 

[csmorris]

Hmmm... I may need one of those if they were offered...

 

[Uncle Erik]

I don't know where to get something like that manufactured, but I would buy one if they were available.

 

[GentsInstinct]

I really like using mine. Loaded it with 50 Israeli Personna baldes. Works like a charm. Just wished it was a modern day offering and hope to possibly make it a reality for the many people I've seen speak of how they wished such a thing existed.

 

[kooshman7]

I'm not a vendor, but I really like that! I would be interested in seeing it come alive!
I could see buying quite a few to fill with all my different blades!

 

[badgerandhone]

Unfortunately I think this would cost a fortune to have the moulds made/designed and it would be uneconomical to produce unless there was a large demand.

It may be an idea to do a poll to see how many forum members would buy?

We would certainly be interested in buying some units from you if you every managed to get them produced.

 

[gbernard]

i'll take 4 if they are made up

 

[GentsInstinct]

Not having much luck getting answers so it's probably just wishful thinking.

 

[michiganlover]

I don't honestly see much demand for this type of product, due to the excessive amount of handling of a sharp blade that would be required to load the device: unwrap present blade, findangle blade into new blade container.

Seems like a lot of danger, and little in the way of gain. I would rather not cut my hands to ribbons, thank you.

 

[GentsInstinct]

I don't honestly see much demand for this type of product, due to the excessive amount of handling of a sharp blade that would be required to load the device: unwrap present blade, findangle blade into new blade container.

Seems like a lot of danger, and little in the way of gain. I would rather not cut my hands to ribbons, thank you.

No handling of single blades at all. Like I said in initial post, just drop a magazine of 50 blades in the dispenser, put the dispenser cap back on and go.

 

[michiganlover]

No handling of single blades at all. Like I said in initial post, just drop a magazine of 50 blades in the dispenser, put the dispenser cap back on and go.

I missed this part of your post initially:

with a few tweaks such as pre-packed magazines containing 50 blades from "your favorite brand" such as Feather, IP, etc. You buy a dispenser and 1 or more "magazines" of blades.

So you are somehow going to convince all of the major blade manufacturer's world wide to give up their paper wrapped blades inside of a cardboard box, in favor of a much more costly, plastic dispenser that would have limited interest to the majority of their users?

I personally don't consider such a design to be superior, or necessary.

If one of our small vendors was somehow able to take this on (a daunting task to say the least), they would then be faced with finding an efficient way of removing the existing blade wrappings, and repackaging the blades into the dispenser.

I think they would find the whole undertaking horribly inefficient, with not enough profit margin to be made to ever consider messing with it.

 

[GentsInstinct]

I missed this part of your post initially:




So you are somehow going to convince all of the major blade manufacturer's world wide to give up their paper wrapped blades inside of a cardboard box, in favor of a much more costly, plastic dispenser that would have limited interest to the majority of their users?

I personally don't consider such a design to be superior, or necessary.

If one of our small vendors was somehow able to take this on (a daunting task to say the least), they would then be faced with finding an efficient way of removing the existing blade wrappings, and repackaging the blades into the dispenser.

I think they would find the whole undertaking horribly inefficient, with not enough profit margin to be made to ever consider messing with it.

Most blade manufacturers have a "sideline" of making/packaging blades however you want them/to your specifications if you're a bulk customer or manufacturer yourself. I've seen some blade manufacturers touting the fact that they can design and package blades however the customer wants, customer of course not being someone looking for 100 blades but someone looking for thousands.

 

[denim]

If the magazines can be refilled by the user, I can see doing this.

As far as manufacturing, pick your materials and contact a local manufacturing firm which handles that material. Or just contact a local manufacturing firm and ask them how to go about it.

 

[GentsInstinct]

If the magazines can be refilled by the user, I can see doing this.

As far as manufacturing, pick your materials and contact a local manufacturing firm which handles that material. Or just contact a local manufacturing firm and ask them how to go about it.

Yes, the magazine could be refilled by the user by removing it from the dispenser and loading it yourself or you could buy magazines pre-loaded with 50 blades to just drop in the dispenser.

 

[denim]

Yes, the magazine could be refilled by the user by removing it from the dispenser and loading it yourself or you could buy magazines pre-loaded with 50 blades to just drop in the dispenser.

Next step, find a local manufacturing company to build it.

 

[mskembo]

I have a cousin that has small things like this manufactured in China all the time. The upside is that they charge next to nothing for tooling, the downside is that you have to commit to having very large quantities made. I think it would take somewhere in the neighborhood of $12,000 to $15,000 to get into production, and that would mean close to 10,000 units. If you are interested in getting investment capital, or having a partner, PM me. I'm interested.

Mike

 

[denim]

I have a cousin that has small things like this manufactured in China all the time.

I have a cousin who used to. I suggested local manufacturing to generate jobs in our country, where we keep the money in this country. Maybe it'd cost a little more, I dunno.

 

[dpm802]

I have a cousin who used to. I suggested local manufacturing to generate jobs in our country, where we keep the money in this country. Maybe it'd cost a little more, I dunno.

It would definitely cost more. A LOT more. You'd have to mark up the price of each unit to several times what you would charge for a chinese model. The upside is that you'd be able to have "Made in USA" embossed on the item, which is Priceless.

If you're going to have it made stateside, I'd recommend using a more robust material than plastic. Perhaps stainless steel, or aluminum. I'm not sure if they still make much from Bakelite, but that would be a good choice.

But its a moot point unless you can find a market for the end product. I don't see it selling in enough volume to make it worthwhile.

Perhaps, you might want to gear this idea for the professionals, build a case and magazines for blades that fit Straight disposable razors, and market them to the haircutting industry.

 

[Go West Young Man]

I'm unclear - you would also have to convince blade manufacturers to change how they package the blades? That sounds like a non-starter unless you could regularly order very large volumes.

 

[GentsInstinct]

I'm unclear - you would also have to convince blade manufacturers to change how they package the blades? That sounds like a non-starter unless you could regularly order very large volumes.

Most blade manufacturers have a "sideline" of making/packaging blades however you want them/to your specifications if you're a bulk customer or manufacturer yourself. I've seen some blade manufacturers touting the fact that they can design and package blades however the customer wants, customer of course not being someone looking for 100 blades but someone looking for thousands.