R41 version confusion

[lockjaw98]

So if your local market decides that the steak, laundry soap, or toilet paper that was marked $36 at 10 AM is not high enough and decide to almost double it at 3PM is ok? I understand supply and demand on the SECONDARY MARKET, but he is a retailer, so some modicum of ethics needs to be a part of his business. Again, just my opinion.

 

[AABCDS]

 

[feltspanky]

It just doesn't sit right with me. Sounds to me like a lazy vendor who didn't bother to check his inventory, then when he realized he had something desirable he blasted the price into the stratosphere. And don't say it is only a few above retail, the razor was priced at $36, not $58. He has the right to change prices as he feels, but I will never buy anything from someone who, IMO, lacks ethics. It is the same as grocery stores jacking up prices during a storm. If he was telling the truth and wanted to move product as his original diatribe stated, then he would have let them sell out at the original price. Just my 2¢. He may have made himself a quick buck, but he lost at least 2 customers on the process.

I received a personal email from Jason at The Superior Shave today. I was one of the lucky thirty seven customers who will receive a 2011 Muhle R41 razor. They were extremely upset that their integrity was questioned by some of the B&B membership. "I Was Also A Guilty Party" "They do read the forum".

Badger Bill is correct in his assessment of this situation. They were selling the razors below cost just to move them out of their inventory. Even though their stock of Muhle R41's were received in early 2013. They were the 2011 models. They were unaware of the potential upside of there investment. There small profit margin in comparison to the "bay" Gillette razor seller is laughable.

They are just two brothers trying to make an honest living in the good "old USA". I'm going to try and throw some more of my business there way. If any B&B members were fortunate enough to get there orders confirmed. Show these guys some Love.

 

[aimsport]

FWIW, let me precede the following by saying that I actually have no idea what Jarrod at the superior shave was thinking. That being said, here is my best interpretation of what happened: It seems to me as though a few days ago, when the $36.50 price was listed, Jarrod had no idea that he actually had the rare 2011 version of the R41. He believed that he had what WE call the 2013 version, yet he was insistent that it in truth was called the 2011 version. However, he agreed that no matter the name, his version was the slightly tamed version of the R41 and that what he subsequently called "variant 2" (the same thing that WE call the 2011) was no longer available anywhere. For that reason, he wanted to get rid of his stock like the plague because he thought it was more trouble than it was worth. Again, he DID NOT SEEM TO KNOW that he in fact had what we call the 2011 in stock. From there, he must have been in touch with some customers, likely from B&B who knew of this discussion who started asking him all sorts of questions about which specific version he had. In the course of this conversation, it seems to have occurred to Jarrod that in fact he DID have the rare 2011 variant #2. At this time, Jarrod came full about face and decided to jack the price way up…. he saw that his stock was not just some bad merchandise that he needed to purge from his shelves ASAP. Hence came the revised description which instead of talking about his stock as junk that he wanted to never see again, started talking about it like it was the best thing since sliced bread. And that's where we are today.

Let me be clear: IMO Jarrod isn't doing anything "wrong" here… he is fully within his right to price his stock however he sees fit. It is then up to us whether or not we are willing to pay that price. Similarly, whoever alerted Jarrod to this issue on B&B did nothing wrong either - they, IMO, did everyone a service by actually helping to figure out whatever stock Jarrod actually did or did not have (and no it wasn't me). If anyone were to find issue with anything, I think the only thing that's a little strange about this is how Jarrod's description changed so drastically from a rambling diatribe against the slightly tamed R41 to a sentiment of "hey I have this and if you don't buy it NOW you will be sorry because I'm going to jack the price WAY up every time I sell a few of these until you've missed the chance and they are gone". Then again, it's Jarrod's business and if that's how he wants to run his business and shape his marketing strategy, that's his choice. This is a style question. I'm sure his style will rub some people the wrong way, and I'm sure that other people will be fine with it. It's just up to us individually whether or not we are willing to pay the price for whatever he is selling.

I'm not trying to point any fingers here, and I actually think everyone involved was/is well within their right to do what they are doing/have done. I'm just trying to answer some of our fellow members' questions as to how this situation evolved. I see how it could be very confusing if you came a little late to this show and didn't see how it started. To finish up this post, I'd like to reiterate that my understanding is that Jarrod has always been thought of as a very reputable and honest seller, so if you are thinking of buying a product from him, do keep that in mind.

If this isn't spot on it's close enough to be the definitive description of what most likely happened.

I spoke with Jarrod a couple days ago. He seemed to be a decent guy interested in balancing selling of inventory, selling a coveted item, and making sure as many wetshavers as possible got one.

Oh, btw, to make your R41 razors last longer, put clipper oil or other kind of protective oil on the threads, replenish every few months. If not, once that metal starts to corrode on the threads, it's hard to stop.

Now the race is on for the existing 2011 R41's to build such a following that Muhle decides to make an R41 2011 head again.

Clap your hands all you who appreciate the place the 2011 R41 has in your razor lineup. Share your successes.

 

[DrAwkward]

I received a personal email from Jason at The Shave Shop today.
<snip>

Just to be clear, do you mean The Superior Shave? If so, I'm with you. I consider TSS to be first rate.

 

[feltspanky]

Just to be clear, do you mean The Superior Shave? If so, I'm with you. I consider TSS to be first rate.

Forgive me DrAwkward: It is The Superior Shave. Thanks

 

[Badger Bill]

Oh, btw, to make your R41 razors last longer, put clipper oil or other kind of protective oil on the threads, replenish every few months. If not, once that metal starts to corrode on the threads, it's hard to stop.

This is a fantastic point, and I must say I've never thought of this. Would this be useful for all DE's (non TTO, that is)? Do many people out there do this?

 

[aimsport]

Do it before your first shave with the razor. I have a few Muhle's I used before I started lubing and the corrosion seems irreversible.

 

[Badger Bill]

What specific oil do you use? Does it really matter? (I have no idea what clipper oil is&#8230;. where would you buy it?)

 

[Badger Bill]

BTW as a side note, just think of all the poor souls who will join B&B over the next few years and will be curious about the R41, so they will search through the archives, come across this thread, and get SOOOOOOOOOO confused about what everyone is talking about. Hang in there guys!!!! It all really does make sense.

 

[keithmax]

Capitalism. Some people like it, some people don't.

It does not sound like there was any deception. Limiting sales to one a person was a class move allowing as many people to try a 2011 model as possible. Who know how much in value this razor will go up now it is unavailable. It is my favorite razor and if I lost or broke it I'm not sure how much I would pay for it. If it is not worth $70 don't buy it. I don't think we will see many on BST being sold for 36.50.

going to go lube my razor now.

 

[feltspanky]

I'm using some silicon grease on the threads.

 

[aimsport]

What specific oil do you use? Does it really matter? (I have no idea what clipper oil is&#8230;. where would you buy it?)

Wahl clipper oil. Found at Sally's Beauty, Amazon, some pet stores, ebay.

Any protective oil that is odorless, evaporates very very slowly and penetrates to the metal displacing the H2O.

 

[zaclikestoshave]

I made a mistake on my part and was think that the r41 head would be the same on the r102. I am so confused because many people in other threads and forums said it is merely a handle difference. These are not the same heads. I am guessing people that confirmed that these were the same razor did not have a 2011 r41. They are not the same length. The blade is exposed differently. I am not upset at Jarrod just disappointed that I did not read more into it but would have run into the same issue anyway by the looks of everyone else sayin these are the same. I am excited to see how much difference in shave there is.

 

[cb91710]

when he realized he had something desirable he blasted the price into the stratosphere. And don't say it is only a few above retail, the razor was priced at $36, not $58.

HIS retail price was around $65 before he reduced it to $36 to clear the inventory.
$58-$70 is going retail at all North American dealers who are buying from the North American distributor/importer.

At $36, he was selling at a significant loss. When he found out that they were indeed popular, but nobody knew that he had them, he raised the price back up to normal retail.
He didn't "blast it into the stratosphere" and 6 months ago he was not selling them for $36.

As far as Jarrod being a lazy vendor:
He lists nothing on his site that it not in stock. When he runs out of something, it is removed from the site immediately.
He has a new format for many of his listings, but before the new format, he would post a photo of a group of 5-7 hones, straight razors, etc.... As EACH ONE was sold, he would edit the photo to mask out the specific item that was sold.

Not exactly lazy.

Disclosure: I have no dog in this fight. I purchased a hone from Jarrod 2 years ago, I think I may have purchased one other item a year or so ago but can't recall what it was, so I have neither a direct interest in the success or failure of TSS (other than what we all share in having a good vendor available), and I have not received any discounted, free, or "demo" items.

 

[cb91710]

So if your local market decides that the steak, laundry soap, or toilet paper that was marked $36 at 10 AM is not high enough and decide to almost double it at 3PM is ok? I understand supply and demand on the SECONDARY MARKET, but he is a retailer, so some modicum of ethics needs to be a part of his business. Again, just my opinion.

Retailers do it all the time.
A couple of weeks ago I could have replaced my wife's phone with a Galaxy S4 for $50. I can't because of my contract, and will have to wait another 2 weeks from now. At that time, the price will likely be $250.
Retailers offer temporary deep discounts on items all the time... sometimes selling at a loss. When Radio Shack used to send out their mailers, every item on the front page was listed at a loss.
20% discounts are common. Occasionally, an item will go on sale for 50% for a short time.

Jarrod mistakenly discounted the razors to $36 because he didn't realize what he had.

 

[cb91710]

I don't think we will see many on BST being sold for 36.50.

Sadly, I have a feeling we are going to see a number of those 36 show up on eBay at $80+

Probably a few might show up on BST, and I can see the mods requesting redacted copies of invoices.

 

[cb91710]

I made a mistake on my part and was think that the r41 head would be the same on the r102. I am so confused because many people in other threads and forums said it is merely a handle difference.

Blame Muhle for marketing at least 4 different razors as "R41".
The R101 and R102 are indeed the same head as the R41.
The R106 and R107 are indeed the same head as the R89.

In mid-2011 when there was only one current R41, all three had the same head.
Today, all three also have the same (2013) head.

The problem is, inventory levels at the dealer, distributor, and Muhle fluctuate, so just because the R41 that arrived last week has a 2013 head doesn't mean that an R101/2 would have the same head.
In this case, Jarrod had the 2011 R41 models in stock, but apparently his R102 stock has the new design.

Jagger is not much better. ALL of their razors use the same head as the DE89.... same as the Muhle R89.
Yet their inventory is made up of DE86, DE87, DE89... and many from the different lines have similar handles, so one would believe that the heads might be different.
They aren't.

 

[nomex]

I'm upset I didn't have the money to buy them earlier. Oh well, time to hit up the BST. I'm glad TSS was able to make some money instead of taking a hit. At least they limited the sales to 1 per person. If I bought one earlier in the week, I definitely would have bought another for backup.

I can't believe how much I like a non - vintage razor- I never thought it would happen. This would be perfect in stainless. Too bad Fatip can't make an all brass version. I love the 2011 for those days when I don't feel like using the shavettes. The funny thing is I have a Fatip and RazoRock SLAB coming in. If didn't I would have bought two 2011's for good measure.

 

[Badger Bill]

Oh man, so after all this, is it really the case that the people who bought the R102 from TSS after the (2011 regular) R41's were taken down a few days ago, and before they were put back up at a higher price, ended up with 2013's? Jeez I'm sorry to hear that&#8230;. it's a shame that didn't work out for you if that's the case.

Or am I misunderstanding the few recent comments on this?