I would bet that the releases RR has is only about 20 razors at a time just to make it look like he's selling a bunch of razors!! If you blink he's out of stock!! Just like James at Wolfman!! Coincidental... I think not since he thinks he offering an identical product!! The guy is clueless!!
OC Game Changers Back in Stock
- Thread starter CJB3
- Start date
I have always been a Happy customer of IB
The Game Changer Razor is a great deal and I appreciate that They sell a Stainless steel Razor that looks good and gives me a great shave for such a great price . And if it's a ploy to get me to check their website then I am ok with it.
The Game Changer Razor is a great deal and I appreciate that They sell a Stainless steel Razor that looks good and gives me a great shave for such a great price . And if it's a ploy to get me to check their website then I am ok with it.
- Thread starter
- #23
+1
I recognize that there is a bit of showmanship in what RazoRock/IB does, but I really appreciate their commitment to making quality product at reasonable prices. I love the Game Changer and two of my favorite soaps (Santa Maria del Fiore and the Dead Sea) are also RazoRock products.
I like Italian Barber, they offer some really great products, the RR GC .84 is my favorite razor at the moment, but the tactic to keep the number of available razors low, to keep demand high, is in my opinion at least annoying, if not a bit shady. Other vendors seem only seldom to run out of stock, if at all.
Let’s review some makers and sellers of machined razors.
Moderate price point:
RazoRock/Italian Barber
Karve
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements
Higher price point:
Above the Tie
Charcoal Goods
Wolfman
Do any of these sellers manage to stay in stock on all their machined razor products at all times? Operating in a tiny luxury market, how would they be able to deploy the capital and absorb the risk of building larger product inventories? And if they were always in stock, how motivated would their customers be to pull the trigger on an order? I don’t think it is ‘tactics’. I think it is survival as a business.
Feel free to add to the list. The list of ‘always in stock’ machined razor products will be a short one. Shout out to Timeless (I think).
Personally, I like the Karve ‘order and wait patiently’ model. The Italian Barber/PAA e-mail notification model works for me too. Mostly, I appreciate that these razor designers and artisans are putting interesting and well made products on the market. And they are staying in business. I don’t feel entitled to instant gratification, in fact, the more instant, the less gratifying. YMMV.
I’m hoping Jaws comes back in stock soon!
Moderate price point:
RazoRock/Italian Barber
Karve
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements
Higher price point:
Above the Tie
Charcoal Goods
Wolfman
Do any of these sellers manage to stay in stock on all their machined razor products at all times? Operating in a tiny luxury market, how would they be able to deploy the capital and absorb the risk of building larger product inventories? And if they were always in stock, how motivated would their customers be to pull the trigger on an order? I don’t think it is ‘tactics’. I think it is survival as a business.
Feel free to add to the list. The list of ‘always in stock’ machined razor products will be a short one. Shout out to Timeless (I think).
Personally, I like the Karve ‘order and wait patiently’ model. The Italian Barber/PAA e-mail notification model works for me too. Mostly, I appreciate that these razor designers and artisans are putting interesting and well made products on the market. And they are staying in business. I don’t feel entitled to instant gratification, in fact, the more instant, the less gratifying. YMMV.
I’m hoping Jaws comes back in stock soon!
I will never do business with IB. Their business model is not appealing to me. And it does not apply to razors only - all the products!
I will go and spend my money elsewhere.
I will go and spend my money elsewhere.
I have always had great customer service from IB. They respond to emails. With the few minor issues Ive had over the years, they have rectified it right away. They ship stuff when they say they are going to ship it. And Id rather have the email notification system for limited supply items, and definitely get it when I order it and pay for it. As opposed to some of the other vendors where you order it, and you dont get it for long periods of time. Plus the Razorock razors are great! And their soaps and splashes are pretty good too!
I've never received anything but top shelf customer service from IB and I'm glad to give them my business. I've purchased several stainless RR razors on their site and I find them to be an amazing products for the price point they are offered at. I've made many non RR related purchases with IB over the years and have been equally satisfied with them as well. I'm a Happy Camper!
- Thread starter
- #29
I personally appreciate the way they run their for the most part. Some of the other artisan/business owners out there seem to put the artisan mindset first. That's fine, but I think Joe is a real business person 100%, and I respect that.
JAWS is back in stock now!
My first purchase from Italian Barber (through Amazon, a first step to RAD) had a minor quality issue. Joe responded immediately, made it right, and demonstrated his interest in completely understanding the defect, as well. Serious attention to quality control. On a $20 non-core item.
I have given IB plenty of business since then, praised their customer service on B&B before now, and today (thanks @NCGent ) JAWS is on the way. I understand that others may have had different experiences, but my impression is that IB has plenty of eager, happy customers. I’m one.
Back in stock now
And it’s here! Fast work, Italian Barber!
I like the extremely grippy Super Knurl handle, but I’m betting on my shorter, lighter Russian Ti as a better balanced choice for tomorrow’s inaugural shave.
My GC OC 84 was waiting for me when I got home from my road trip. Looking forward to using it in the next day or two.
@Tanuki Congrats on your new razor and it looks good with that handle.
My GC JAWS arrived yesterday and I'm looking forward to trying it out soon.
I shaved with JAWS as soon as I had some stubble. Went half and half with my 3” brass Karve OC-C, just to compare two OCs with not many teeth.
I didn’t prove anything, other than that an often-used familiar razor shaves more easily than a completely unfamiliar razor. For me, JAWS was every bit as efficient as the OC-C plate, and it will probably prove equivalent to at least the OC-D plate as I get more experience. The smaller JAWS head is more maneuverable than the Karve but, sporting a beard and mustache, I only have a few tight spaces to shave. The Karve Comb is inherently smoother, but smoothing out the JAWS shave will just be a matter of practice. Both razors grip and stabilize the blade superbly.
I liked JAWS well enough that I will sideline the Karve and the vintage Gillette OCs for a while. I want to get used to that minimalist comb and try out a few different blades. I had gotten past thinking of the Karve as a heavy razor (compared to the many hollow handled Gillette 3-piece OCs), but the JAWS head on my light Ti handle reminded me that the Karve packs some heft.
I’m looking forward to hearing some more JAWS first impressions.
Similar threads
