Price trend of blades

[razors_ej]

Hi, I'm new to DE shaving, in fact am yet to try it. My EJ89l should be arriving in the next day or so.

Until I start using the razor and having technique and such to think about, my mind's drifted to the issue of blades. Just wondering for some of you that have been around a while, what is your perception on the general pricing trend of blades. Do you find overall that the prices tend to be increasing or decreasing over time? Do prices stay pretty much consistent or are there periods when they are high and periods when they are low?

I appreciate there's probably going to be varied opinions and probably some blades/brands would be different than others. Just thought it would be an interesting topic of discussion.

What are your thoughts?

 

[fcdiscus]

Seem to be holding pretty steady. I do notice a big price jump in the price of high quality vintage blades though!

 

[Mick]

The price of DE blades is pretty insignificant if you buy them by the 100 count.

 

[DMT]

In general they are around the 2.50 mark 5.00 for higher end ones like feathers. The biggest variability in price comes from the bulk pack they range from 6-30 but when you compare that to cartridge prices that's a mere drop in the ocean for over a years supply of blades.

 

[mistercitizen]

Ultimately, when you find a blade (or a few) that you like, you will want to buy in bulk. There are discounts for buying 100 or 200 count "pillars" (a bulk pack)..... or even if a particular brand does not come in a "bulk pack" such as Crystals (Israeli Personna Blue) most vendors give discounts for buying in bulk and they will just send you a bunch of little packs. In the case of razor blades.... buying in bulk definitely pays off.

Ben

 

[Chester]

If you're buying vintage blades these days they're on the rise. Spoilers seem to be around a buck a blade, which is right on the edge of ten cents a shave. They'll only rise, too, 'cause they ain't makin' any more. My mark for value is ten cents a shave. If it's much past that, I'm probably spending too much. That said, there's always the threshold of satisfaction. Some folks like the feathers and the feathers are not cheap and the feathers don't last too long for most folks. If you're satisfied, will you pay more? My guess is that most folks will pay the marginal cost for satisfaction. There are great blades out there (like the Astra Super Plats) that are marvelously sharp and pair up well with a wide range of razors and beard types and they cost 10-11 cents a blade... which will get you under three cents per shave even if you don't push a blade very far. If you pushed a blade like the Astra out to ten shaves (it can be done), then you're looking at a penny per shave. That's an excellent value proposition. There are lots of blades out there that will get you to less than three cents per shave.
Hope it helps get you started.
-- Chet

 

[JeffE]

Most current production blades are so cheap, it's hard to complain about them. You can buy 100 excellent blades for $12-15, and if you really want to splurge, you can buy 100 of the extra-fancy blades for $30-40. Even using 2 blades a week (which is a lot), 100 blades will last for a year of constant shaving. (I use my blades for 4-5 shaves each, so for me, it's closer to two years.) I even buy the vintage blades on eBay now and then just for a little variety, and I now have well over a 1000 stockpiled. That means more than 20 years of DE shaves! Bottom line is that you should try out a few different brands and then invest in a pack of 100 of whatever you like. The price is pretty minimal compared to those stupid cartridges that you've been wasting all your money on!

 

[BroJohn]

Until I start using the razor and having technique and such to think about, my mind's drifted to the issue of blades. Just wondering for some of you that have been around a while, what is your perception on the general pricing trend of blades. Do you find overall that the prices tend to be increasing or decreasing over time? Do prices stay pretty much consistent or are there periods when they are high and periods when they are low?

What are your thoughts?

Relative to 6 or so years ago; there more brands, greater availability, better product, cheaper prices. These are the good ol' days right now. I'm referring to bulk purchases per/C via shaving e-tailers.

-- John Gehman

 

[rxonmymind]

Even spoiling yourself at $30 for a hundred a pop is not an issue as Jeff alluded too. Our vendors here from WCS, Italian barber are always upfront with you on prices. They seem to he holding ok though. So no hoarding allowed! Lol...

 

[takeshi]

Pricing for 100 Feathers has been pretty consistent since I started buying them. I haven't been tracking pricing of other blades.

 

[JeffE]

My big splurge this month was buying 100 GBEs from Dr. Idiot for about $54. Again, there's no reason at all to buy such expensive blades unless you're a little blade-crazy, and I think there's many blades equal to or better for less than $20 per 100. I generally buy from David at www.razorbladesandmore.com, although there's lots of other vendors available.