Good idea or bad idea: USA Impulse 100A - Open Source Kit

[aimsport]

see: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=165188

Good idea? Bad idea? What input do you have?

We could design a series of recommended kits newbie can source themselves.

Just some basic ones that can be refined over time.

Hopefully a popular store will begin to carry an actual DE razor... which would be the basis of the USA Impulse 120A.

The USA GoodStart 200A would be a true DE razor users can source from B&B approved vendors. I'm thinking an DE 89L... Palmolive Tallow Stick, Cella, Frank Shaving brush, etc.

the 300 would be similar, just include more interesting and technically more challenging products like MWF, etc.

the 400 would be more expensive components.

but the list would need to stop because AD will take over from there.. ;-)

Perhaps even web vendors would vend the complete kits and send some of the proceeds to the B&B.

 

[aimsport]

Okay. no replies. guess it's a bad idea.

 

[GDCarrington]

I think that any time other than in traveling, a disposable razor comes into play the group has a general disinterest. For a travel kit that might be a very good one since all the products should pass TSA muster.

 

[Go West Young Man]

The concept is good, but I think product availability varies so much by region and store that it's hard to recommend specific setups as "must haves". Online, there are so many different options that's it not fair to recommend a specific vendor's products over another one's.

 

[Luc]

mmmmmkkkayy, seeing this thread and the one I commented in the link I think I understand what you want to do. Creating a wetshaving starter package with name that you picked.

Also, I'm with Chris for that one. If the starter kit includes MWF soap, it's not the easiest and cheapest to get down under... If you keep it USA related, I still think that stock varies from a place to another. If you order online, you will almost need specific vendors to sell those kits.

I think that Ray is selling something like that...

http://gentlemensbest.com/ShavingKits.aspx

 

[michiganlover]

Hopefully a popular store will begin to carry an actual DE razor...

Well I guess one can dream, but I don't honestly see it happening.

Wal-Mart is the nation's largest superstore, and their shaving isle is now almost 100% controlled by Gillette/Proctor and Gamble, and Schick/Energizer/Wilkinson Sword. About ZERO chance of a DE razor showing up for sale there.

 

[Saturn]

Wal-Mart is the nation's largest superstore, and their shaving isle is now almost 100% controlled by Gillette/Proctor and Gamble, and Schick/Energizer/Wilkinson Sword. About ZERO chance of a DE razor showing up for sale there.

Even if that weren't the case, it just wouldn't make sense for most stores to carry a DE razor. It won't sell. Or at least, it won't sell in the quantities necessary to justify stocking it. Most stores near me don't even carry DE blades, and the only people buying the blades are those who already have a DE razor.

From the moment I got into traditional wetshaving, I pretty much accepted that everything I wanted would have to be bought online.

Your starter kit (100A) seems like a cool idea, putting together a starter kit based on products that can be sourced locally, but that's just such a limiting criterion that you wind up with fairly lousy products. Anyone who seriously wants to get into traditional wetshaving will very quickly want to upgrade from the cheap brush and pack of disposables, and will have to turn to the net for that (and will probably be better served by just ordering the better products in the first place).

 

[jansob]

Ok, here's my take, as a relatively new DE shaver who was in the position of the target audience recently.

They just need to get a decent razor, brush and cream...not the best, just something that a newbie could use to get an idea of what it's about. If DE shaving is for them, they will notice a huge difference from what they use now.

I think the higher kits are unnecessary once they start and are reading this or (gasp) another forum...they will be reading threads and FAQs and deciding on their next step themselves.

I would have been quite happy starting with:

--Kiss My Face cream or something equally decent, easy to find and cheap

--Tweezerman brush

--Edwin Jagger DE89 (a bit pricey for some, but mention resale value...easy to get back $20-25 here or on ebay if it's not for them).

--Blade sampler pack

These are all easily available easily online, and will give them a way to start cheaply. I started with a Feather Popular, but that's because I'm in Japan...shipping makes others really pricey.