Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen

[Shave A Buck]

I hate to start another Derby thread but I think mine is somewhat different. I can remember seeing nothing on here but praise and love for Derby. Sunshine, lolipops, and rainbows, people could not get them fast enough. Now all of sudden no one wants to touch them. As a vendor I can tell you I have seen Lord blades for sale wholesale from China as well as almost any other name brand. Once I questioned a China Rep on how he is selling Lazer Shave items from India, he then quicky ended our chat. Counterfiets are out there on everything that sells well, thats what counterfeiting is all about. Maybe these are knock off blades that member's have been sold, or maybe it is true their quality is lessening, I do not know or have the same issues myself. Where did those having difficulty with Derby purchase them from, maybe the vendor was tricked and sold bad goods unknowingly.

I can remember when no one wanted to touch anything Lord made once Derby came around. My point is this, where do we go from here?? So what is good that is mainstream and available. I have heard great praise for Ted Pella, but again, not mainstream or cheap. I can go on and on and show negative posts about even Feather. Brand recognition is what happens to every product at some point. That's why people left Pabst and Schafer for Bud and now Bud for Micro brews. Ford and GM for Toyota and Nissan. Could that be what is happening to derby??

 

[GoldenMonkey]

This newfound Derbymania is getting as tedious as the Tabacamania, lol...

 

[82R100]

It wouldn't surprise me that razor blades would be counterfeited. Even the most legitimate ones are minimally labeled and the packaging changes from time to time with little reason.

The Shaving Factory is a Derby outlet, right? If someone's doubtful about the validity of a pack of Derbies they could purchase from them and attempt a comparison.

- Chris

 

[Shave A Buck]

Shaving Factory is located in North Jersey about an hour from my house. He is as far as I know the only, the exclusive, importer of true Derby products into the USA.

 

[A_Jameson]

I've never posted a comment about Derby's before but I noticed an incredible quality difference when I switched to them from Personna's. They've offered the most uncomfortable shaves I've had in months...

The ones I used came in a sample pack ordered from WCS and seriously doubt they'd sell anything but the real deal.

 

[Gravy]

Sunshine, lolipops, and rainbows,

This was me a little over a year ago when I was learning. Loved the Derby's and still do. But I've been reluctant to recommend them to the new shaver since reading many complaints and now that I need to restock, I'm seriously questioning if I should go w/ Derbys or play it safe w/ something else.

 

[DanOK]

I use a great variety of razors and enjoy any excuse to be out around the junk stores. I have not have any problems with Derby blades and continue to use them in razors I have restored. Its my bench mark blade especially if I have never shaved with a specific razor before.

I have found that certain of my razors have a preference for certain blades. My slim likes Derby, my futur likes Wilkinson Sword, my slant likes feather, my hoffritz likes 7 o'clock and so on etc.,etc.,etc..

I continue to give out packs of Derby's to friends that are interested enough in wet shaving that I give them a razor. YMMV , but I don't see the problem.

 

[Shave A Buck]

I guess my real intent of the thread was to point out that people are on a band wgaon, Derby Ittis if you will. It seems as if nearly everything at some point is not beyond being bashed or picked apart here. So as I stated originally, where do we go from here, now that Derby once on high is not up to standards. Whats the next blade, the next cream to run to. Whats the next brand or item to suffer the same fate. People's standards on here are high it seems. Do we need a little grounding perhaps.

 

[baggiez]

I've been using Derby pretty much exclusively for about two years and have recommended them to a couple of wet shave converts at work. They both love them.

Nothing but praise from this end so unless their QC has gone haywire I don't know why the fuss? YMMV etc etc.

 

[A_Jameson]

...I have found that certain of my razors have a preference for certain blades...

I really like that comment and it's something I haven't considered.

 

[brianw]

I'm not a good one to comment... I tried Derby's 4 months ago.... not a great shave and I gave them away with some PIF's as they say YMMV

 

[82R100]

I guess my real intent of the thread was to point out that people are on a band wagon, Derby Ittis if you will. It seems as if nearly everything at some point is not beyond being bashed or picked apart here. So as I stated originally, where do we go from here, now that Derby once on high is not up to standards. Whats the next blade, the next cream to run to. Whats the next brand or item to suffer the same fate. People's standards on here are high it seems. Do we need a little grounding perhaps.

I don't think it's necessarily high standards; it's mostly a bunch of newbies (myself included) who are too impatient for grounding. Another factor is the high rate of turnover. If you look at the postings from six months ago, a great many of those people have moved on and been replaced by more. I suspect that Derby love will rebound a bit with time. They're still a reasonably affordable product. I just don't envy you retailers trying to keep up with this stuff.

- Chris

 

[leeparmet]

Derby is the first blade I used. I now find them kind of rough and will not reorder them when I use the 75 or so I have left.

~Lee

 

[michiganlover]

Another factor is the high rate of turnover. If you look at the postings from six months ago, a great many of those people have moved on and been replaced by more.

Right you are Chris, the # of people who become regular posters, and go on to have 1000's of posts is really quite slim.

Any negative comment has to be considered against the experience of the shaver in question, for a new shaver, they are likely to think whatever blade they start with is bad, when it is really their technique that is to blame.

For me, I like Derby blades, and have never had any issue with them; but then again I can successfully use just about any blade, but some are more smooth than others.

 

[Mr_Amazing]

For those new posters, perhaps myself included, I think part of the problem is that due to the excessive number of "dud" blades, it does turn a newer shaver away from the blade. If I get horrible results from the first blade I have tried of a certain company, that is not a good sign and certainly affects my desire to give money for a 5 pack where 1 is a dud.

The real issue is quality control. It is a fixable problem. If someone buys a 100 blades for $20 ($.20/blade) and 20 blades turn out to be duds, the price needs to be adjusted to $.25/blade. If that is an acceptable price and you get a great shave with those 80 blades, there isn't much of a problem. The problem is that people are buying products with the assumption that they aren't faulty (novel idea!). If it costs an extra $5/100 to ensure that all the blades are up to the standard, I would be more willing to put my money down. The overall cost stays the same from the usable blade standpoint and customers aren't alienated.

 

[BroJohn]

The Derby blades are a good product, IMO, and the Shavingfactory folks are good to deal with. Prompt shipping, good service. No duds in my experience.

Recommended.

-- John Gehman

 

[njpaddy]

I find Derbys consistent enough and use them when I want a mild shave or when I'm testing out a new razor. But I have a strict 2 shave limit with them.

 

[goby]

I guess my real intent of the thread was to point out that people are on a band wgaon, Derby Ittis if you will. It seems as if nearly everything at some point is not beyond being bashed or picked apart here. So as I stated originally, where do we go from here, now that Derby once on high is not up to standards. Whats the next blade, the next cream to run to. Whats the next brand or item to suffer the same fate. People's standards on here are high it seems. Do we need a little grounding perhaps.

Hopefully Williams suffers the same fate and people stop buying it.

 

[Mr. Igg]

The Derby blades are a good product, IMO, and the Shavingfactory folks are good to deal with. Prompt shipping, good service. No duds in my experience.

Recommended.

-- John Gehman

+1 I keep coming back to Derby blades as my overall best performer

 

[DHoffmeyer]

I've never tried them, but you've inspired me to load one into the fat boy in the morning.