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...Amused by the conflation of "efficiency" and price

Besides liking a clean shaving face wet shaving has become a hobby for me. I assume like myself it must be to most people on here or there’d be no need to post about their shaving gear, the shaves they get with their gear, asking questions about razors or posting up new razors they’ve acquired and their opinion on how it shaves. So as a wet shaving hobbist I enjoy having a variety of both modern and vintage razors in my den. I also like shaving with a mildly efficient razor when I only need a touch up shave or a highly efficient razor when I’m sporting 3 days growth. Price of the razors in my den vary as well from low to high and everywhere in between. Actually looking at other hobbies I have or have had the price of entry is very reasonable. Also met a lot of good people who share my interest in this hobby.
I say whatever works for you is best.
Just my humble 2 cents.
Yup. It became a hobby for me after the better part of a lifetime of mediocre shaves which only added to my skin problems, topped off by the soaring prices of Gillette cartridges, kept locked away at the drugstore as if they were fine jewelry. DE blades cost next to nothing, and it's fun learning about the history of the razors and finding real historic examples at antique shops, or checking out new high-tech CNC-machined steel or titanium examples, which really don't cost that much compared to the price of admission for most popular hobbies. So it's a good hobby. But most important is that my shaves are better and my skin is much better.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
This begs the question: when did the cost of a razor become its measure? There are cheap razors that are mild and cheap razors that are out of control aggressive, same with expensive razors.

Price, in my mind, dictates absolutely nothing.

My Fatip Grande, shipped, cost me $48CAD. It soundly beat all my other DE's with the same blades in efficiency, smoothness and comfort. It approaches my GEM MMOC in all areas. The MMOC can be had for a song.

$48CAD shipped.

IMG_2056.jpg


$190CAD + shipping.

JOR1341T_Joris_24k_Odyssey_Safety_Razor_Rosewood_x1024.jpeg


The Joris has a smoother polish prior to plating. That makes the plating smoother and shiner. Its the same razor head. Is the difference in price worth it? Only the one spending the money can say. Its not to me.

A $30 Gillette NEW SC will shave head to head with a Wolfman WR1 that costs 10x's the Gillette and then some.
 
Price, in my mind, dictates absolutely nothing.

My Fatip Grande, shipped, cost me $48CAD. It soundly beat all my other DE's with the same blades in efficiency, smoothness and comfort. It approaches my GEM MMOC in all areas. The MMOC can be had for a song.

$48CAD shipped.

View attachment 935308

$190CAD + shipping.

View attachment 935309

The Joris has a smoother polish prior to plating. That makes the plating smoother and shiner. Its the same razor head. Is the difference in price worth it? Only the one spending the money can say. Its not to me.

A $30 Gillette NEW SC will shave head to head with a Wolfman WR1 that costs 10x's the Gillette and then some.

 
I prefer butterfly razors in the $30 to $35 range. Easier for me load and take care of and with a Feather or Personna Blue blade they shave just as well. I am a budget conscious person now that I am retired. I appreciate a clean, close and comfortable shave. A shave that doesn't break my bank.
 
B

Barney14

There are those who think that spending big money is the answer to everything.

Every interest group has them.

The equipment is there to 'catch' the mug punter with €£$ to burn.
 
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Price, in my mind, dictates absolutely nothing.

My Fatip Grande, shipped, cost me $48CAD. It soundly beat all my other DE's with the same blades in efficiency, smoothness and comfort. It approaches my GEM MMOC in all areas. The MMOC can be had for a song.

$48CAD shipped.

View attachment 935308

$190CAD + shipping.

View attachment 935309

The Joris has a smoother polish prior to plating. That makes the plating smoother and shiner. Its the same razor head. Is the difference in price worth it? Only the one spending the money can say. Its not to me.

A $30 Gillette NEW SC will shave head to head with a Wolfman WR1 that costs 10x's the Gillette and then some.
I've not used an SC but am curious which blade gap WR1 it is comparable to?

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I have 3 razors in the cabinet to choose from every other morning when I get ready to shave... I have a '61 Fatboy that I had re-plated, Stainless General SE, and a Ti Timeless .95 SB.

I honestly can't remember the last time I used the Fatboy and use the General once or twice a month at best. I have shaved with the Ti Timeless for 98% of my shaves and has been that way since acquiring it last February on the BST. It just shaves that much better than anything I've used in the past and everything else I had was sold off as I just can't see keeping something that I will never use again. I've kept the Stainless General because it shaves very comparable to the Ti Timeless and the Fatboy I've kept in hopes to pass it down to the next generation and is the only reason it hasn't been sold off.

I can only attest for myself that the purchase of the Ti Timeless was worth much more than what I paid for it, as being almost 58 yrs young, I have had the best and closest shaves in my life using it. I have the same feeling every time I go to shave when I open the cabinet and automatically I pick up the timeless without thinking because I know what the shave will be after I've shaved and I'm reminded of the very 1st shave with it and the satisfaction I felt is still the same and puts a smile on my face every time... No other razor has given me this and I'm sure this is the last razor I will ever have to add to the cabinet for the rest of my time here!!
I need to try the Ti version. I have the SS OC scalloped 95. Is the Ti more efficient than the SS or is the appeal weight and face feel?

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Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I've not used an SC but am curious which blade gap WR1 it is comparable to?

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I'm not sure on the blade gap or exposure of the Wolfman WR in question, that wasnt discussed.

So I have come to a decision and picked a razor. It was hard for me to discern and so I shaved quite a few days before coming to this conclusion.

I used the same soap for all shaves and it was super runny. Absolutely no cushion, just a slippery medium which enabled me to feel the cutting action of the blade. Shaving WTG & XTG there was no difference I could feel. But where it gets tricky is ATG, I felt no difference anywhere until I shaved the mustache area. This patch of hair for me is dense and the individual hairs are thick. So for any razor, this is a challenge. I once tried ATG with my ATT H2 and I could feel the edge of the blade flex down in to my skin.

Both are very very smooth and with no blade flex. But it was only ATG on my mustache where there was a trace of difference. So the top spot for rigidity is the Wolfman. But I'm talking a minutia of difference.

It is so small a difference I had doubts so to be certain, I had been shaving with both everyday till SEptember 1st, shaving half my face with one and switching to use the other on the other half. I would switch razors to the other half the next day and I have been getting consistent results.

So Wolfman it is. But if the Wolfman is a 10 in rigidity the SC is a 9.8. So there it is

I would assume them both similar in gap and exposure. The NEW SC has .023" gap which is pretty minor. They also have a long guard span distance which limits the blade exposure, but they do have a positive blade exposure.

NEW SC.
IMG_2118.JPG


WR1.
WolfmanWR1.png


My NEW SC is very smooth, but I prefer as little gap as possible with generous blade exposure.
 
Not to go against the Gospel of wet shaving as written by a few members of this forum, as I am just an average Joe who shaves daily, but how do you say a razor is as good as another one if you haven’t used it? Plus I very often see YMMV and I take that as we all have different preferences of blade feel, aggression skin type, shaving skill etc. Does an increased price guarantee a great shave Not in my opinion but just because a certain member swears that there has never been or will ever be a better razor than a Fatip doesn’t mean it works for me. I have found my favorite go to razor and I enjoy changing up with vintage and modern but everyone should take what appears to be spoken as fact with a grain of salt
Including my opinion
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Not in my opinion but just because a certain member swears that there has never been or will ever be a better razor than a Fatip doesn’t mean it works for me.

What works for one may not another. Al @AimlessWanderer is another example of that in regard to a Fatip.

To me, its the best DE made, but I havent used every DE made and have no urge too.
 
I'm not sure on the blade gap or exposure of the Wolfman WR in question, that wasnt discussed.



I would assume them both similar in gap and exposure. The NEW SC has .023" gap which is pretty minor. They also have a long guard span distance which limits the blade exposure, but they do have a positive blade exposure.

NEW SC.
View attachment 935451

WR1.
View attachment 935452

My NEW SC is very smooth, but I prefer as little gap as possible with generous blade exposure.
So the definitive statement about the comparison was made based on someone else's opinion?

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Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
So the definitive statement about the comparison was made based on someone else's opinion?

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The 'definitive statement' was made by @Cl3anShav3 who owns or owned both and used them in a head to head comparison.
 
The 'definitive statement' was made by @Cl3anShav3 who owns or owned both and used them in a head to head comparison.
This is my point exactly! One mans opinion is being preached by another. I believe I have learned much on these forums about razors, brushes, soaps and technique but it’s not appropriate in my opinion to make a statement as if it is fact when I have not experienced it myself, and even than, it would just be my opinion
 
Every high-end razor that I have encountered can be ordered with a mild or aggressive head. My Timeless (not the most expensive razor out there) only has a blade gap of .38 and is a mild shaver. All of this boils down to personal preference. We all pay for what we want and don't have to justify our purchases to anyone. Shave with what makes you smile (Lord knows I do). Expensive or inexpensive makes no difference as long as the person wielding the gear is happy with that gear. If someone posts on here that they got a vintage Gillette for $2 and they love the shave, then I'm happy for them. If someone else posts on here that they bought a $5000 razor from a company founded by Tibetan monks who make 1 razor every 10 years from Unobtanium and it makes them happy, then I'm happy for them.

Do you have an address for those Tibetan monks?
 
The 'definitive statement' was made by @Cl3anShav3 who owns or owned both and used them in a head to head comparison.
I beg to differ sir. YOU made the declaration without any credit to any other individual. You said a $30 SC could hang with a $300 Wolfman. And you've never even held a Wolfman, have you? THIS is the amusing part of this thread. Haha.

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Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
This is my point exactly! One mans opinion is being preached by another. I believe I have learned much on these forums about razors, brushes, soaps and technique but it’s not appropriate in my opinion to make a statement as if it is fact when I have not experienced it myself, and even than, it would just be my opinion

I know the Gillette NEW SC intimately. Based on the designs, slight differences in geometry aside such as the shape of the comb vs safety bar, perhaps a slight difference in gap and exposure, I have no reason to doubt his experience. Its my opinion that @Cl3anShav3 is exactly right and I have very little doubt my own experience would differ from his given the opportunity to use a WR1.

For a long time I questioned the efficiency of the R41, vocally around the forum, without having used one. I didnt need to use one to understand why it would be less efficient than a Fatip. Once I did use one, my experience showed me that I was in fact completely correct and my Grande is easily 2-3x's as efficient as my R41. That is however, me shaving my face, not you shaving yours.

The differences in the design between a Fatip and a R41 are clear. How one translates those differences to their own shave is up to them. The similarities between the Wolfman and the SC are just as clear, to myself and a few others.

I believe it is exactly appropriate to tell others what works for me and why, as well as what works for others and why. That is why many of us, specifically myself are here, to help others understand, learn from our experiences and hope some good comes of it. If it wasnt for a very small vocal minority I wouldnt be having the best shaves of my life. The monetary cost of the razors has no bearing. The design, for me, does.


I beg to differ sir. YOU made the declaration without any credit to any other individual. You said a $30 SC could hang with a $300 Wolfman. And you've never even held a Wolfman, have you. THIS is the amusing part of this thread. Haha.

I dont need to use one to understand how well they work. I was very curious about the various design elements James will let the buyer specify however. A razor tailor made to how you shave. As far as I know, hes the only razor maker on Earth that offers that option.

As long as you're having fun, you're doing it right.:001_cool:
 
I believe with the miraculous ability to predict how a razor would work without ever using it would be very helpful to P&G As I stated earlier I believe your opinion should be stated as should mine and anyone else who would like but they are opinions not fact and to make a statement as if it is fact is abysmal. The only fact is that is how it is for my shave on my face.
 
I know the Gillette NEW SC intimately. Based on the designs, slight differences in geometry aside such as the shape of the comb vs safety bar, perhaps a slight difference in gap and exposure, I have no reason to doubt his experience. Its my opinion that @Cl3anShav3 is exactly right and I have very little doubt my own experience would differ from his given the opportunity to use a WR1.

For a long time I questioned the efficiency of the R41, vocally around the forum, without having used one. I didnt need to use one to understand why it would be less efficient than a Fatip. Once I did use one, my experience showed me that I was in fact completely correct and my Grande is easily 2-3x's as efficient as my R41. That is however, me shaving my face, not you shaving yours.

The differences in the design between a Fatip and a R41 are clear. How one translates those differences to their own shave is up to them. The similarities between the Wolfman and the SC are just as clear, to myself and a few others.

I believe it is exactly appropriate to tell others what works for me and why, as well as what works for others and why. That is why many of us, specifically myself are here, to help others understand, learn from our experiences and hope some good comes of it. If it wasnt for a very small vocal minority I wouldnt be having the best shaves of my life. The monetary cost of the razors has no bearing. The design, for me, does.




I dont need to use one to understand how well they work. I was very curious about the various design elements James will let the buyer specify however. A razor tailor made to how you shave. As far as I know, hes the only razor maker on Earth that offers that option.

As long as you're having fun, you're doing it right.:001_cool:
Blade gap in the WR1 head makes a world of difference. He makes a wide range of them. I really doubt the SC performs as well as all of them.



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