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OneBlade on Maggard's

Just saw their premium razor (Genesis) available on their site.

How do you see this?

All these years they were trying to manipulate the market (monopoly), create an exclusive brand for the niche market, but now they found a new distribution channel for their products. Maybe the sales are not good enough lately or they changed their marketing strategy. An assumption would be that things didn't work for them as good as they wished. Also, let's not forget that their razors is almost always on offer on their site. The secondary market for these razors is bad, you just can't get rid of them easily. Blade availability and cost is the main issue of these. Only time will tell. We can't predict the future, I don't know if any of us has this charisma, but things don't look good for them. We'll see...
 
I tried the offer where they let you trial a Genesis and Hybrid. I wound up sending it back , buying neither .
 
I email them every time they send out an offer to my inbox saying bring back the V1 that will accept a GEM blade without modification. Yes I have a V1 and a V2 and while I can put a GEM blade in the V2 without modifying it is a mediocre shave at best. To me the V1 OB is my favorite razor when paired with a GEM blade. I’m waiting to try a Vector and a General V2, but until then I’ll stick to my OB V1
 
The way they intentionally changed the razor to keep people from using de-spined GEM blades really left a bad taste in my mouth. I tried the V1 during a passaround and actually really liked the shave. But I can't support a company so hostile towards its users, especially at the price point they are asking.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I email them every time they send out an offer to my inbox saying bring back the V1 that will accept a GEM blade without modification.
LOL "Hey Bill, that nut mailed us again about the Gem blades..."

I have a Core and Hybrid and like them, but I have other razors that work just as well or better to closeness. Very few are as care free though for the result. I will use these in a rotation. I'm about to go into a four year long sabbatical. No way in heck am I buying enough FHS-10 blades for 4 years of shaves.

It's really too bad they do or try to do what they are with respect to cornering the blade market.

For the record if you want the Genesis, I will bet we'll see a Genesis offered for under $200 before Christmas. I'm betting $159 or $179 with a 1 year blade subscription required. We'll see
 
Just saw their premium razor (Genesis) available on their site.

How do you see this? ...
Thanks for the heads up @Nicholas. How do I see it? I will say up-front that I love my Genesis and have no trouble finding nice things to say about the OneBlade folks. However, my love is neither blind nor unblemished. With that in mind, here is my guess, and it is only a guess. ...

The "yuppy market" is saturated, whether from direct sales or attempts via other luxury outlets (e.g. places like Nordstroms). Not that long ago, OneBlade ran an aggressive sale, which they kept extending day, by day, by day ad nauseam. It reminded me of when Straight Razor Designs went out of business, and I had to think that either the OneBlade folks were liquidating (which now seems not to be the case) or they had a very pressing need/desire for immediate cash.

In any case, if sales are down - and I'm guessing they are down - why not approach traditional shavers more directly, and who better than Maggard? Maggard was already carrying the FHS-10 blades, and they are well regarded. Maggard may reach quite a few traditional shavers who do not frequent forums and who do not share the same objections that are expressed in forums.

I have said that this is a guess, and I will end it by saying that I'm skeptical, both that it is an accurate guess, and that there will be any great sales increase if it were accurate. It is however, my best guess, and no doubt worth what you paid for it. :) Now, besides guesses, I also have opinions. ...


IMO the Genesis is an underrated but overpriced razor, and it is unfairly criticized for the pivot, but reasonably criticized for a host of blade related issues. The FHS-10 is criticized for low longevity, high price, and lack of competition. The lack of GEM friendliness also alienates many forum shavers.

My attitude about the pivot seems to be a minority one, but FWIW it goes like this: Unlike the few carts I have used, the OneBlade pivot is spring loaded to resist movement. It does not come into play unless the shaver presses too hard. When the pivot does come into play, there is an audible click when the pressure is released. If you don't want to use the pivot, then don't press too hard. If you do use the pivot, then blame your technique and not the razor. The audible click is a valuable clue; use it as a teaching tool.

However, because my view seems not to be common, OneBlade would be well-advised to address it. And if you are listening OneBlade, this is directed at you: I wonder how much capital would be required to devise a plastic or hard-rubber insert that would lock the pivot and could be easily inserted and removed. (Anyone who owns a OneBlade can see where the "lock" would go, at the junction of the handle and the head.) A locking insert won't address blade related concerns, but perhaps it is doable and saleable on the cheap.

One last comment, and I am now again speaking to my forum peers. When I bought my Genesis, I saved a $100 by subscribing to regular blade deliveries. However, it was made plain that the subscription could be cancelled at any time with no hassles. Well, when I got the first subscription "heads up" email, I wrote them back, explaining that I had already picked up a stash at Maggard. I asked them to please cancel my subscription without sending anything, and I got a prompt reply saying that it was done. And indeed, it was done, nor have I heard anyone say that OneBlade reneged on a commitment to cancel a subscription promptly and with no hassle. I also contacted them on one other occasion with a question, and I got a prompt and complete reply. So, my customer experience with OneBlade has been top-shelf, and it seems only fair to mention this.

It looks like I have gone far beyond your OP @Nicholas, but since I have taken the time to write it, I am going to go ahead and post it. I hope you don't mind.
 
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