Well said.Hi Dave, Your point about focusing on quality vs quantity is reasonable though I'm not sure we should ever consider a $1,000 wet shaving equipment set as cheap. Given that DE/SE wet shaving has morphed into a hobby for many there is an additional factor beyond quality that drives pricing of the highest end equipment. That is the collectable element of the hobby for brushes and razors. Up to a certain point hardware purchased from reputable sellers generally increases in quality along with price. At a certain pricing range the prices become more driven by the collectable element of what are sometimes scarce limited production items. You referred to this in your post when noting "better held value"
Shaving brushes are a great example of this. Somewhere in roughly the $100-$250 range (per each shavers YMMV and also varies by manufacture hence the wide range) the quality tends to top out with diminishing returns in actual quality. Beyond that most of the delta in price is driven by the scarcity/collectability of the brushes. Recall a recent B&Ber post regarding one brush brand that explained how, because of resellers quickly flipping brushes for over twice the former retail selling prices, the manufacturer took prices up from the $200's to $400-500's range.
An additional implication of your post is that tools at $50 and under price points are poor quality and not very well made. That is simply not the case. We've lots of B&Ber's who own tools in this price range that are of great quality, including myself. Our synthetic and boar brushes, Weishi, King C. Gillette, Parker and Merkur razors work well and do so for years. That is great quality and excellent value. The Gillette black beauty adjustable, my first razor and considered by most to be excellent, retailed for under $5 when I purchased it or roughly under $30 in today's dollars. Have seen your recent posts regarding perfect 10/10 shaves with your Omega 10666 boar. That is a great quality $10-15 brush.
My overall take is that we have a great hobby where shavers can enjoy great shaves with a wide range of qualitytools from $10 to above the $1000s noted in the shave post that started this thread. Even at close to the entry level we have access to great quality razors and brushes in the $10-$20 range. These are chromed zamac razors and boar or synthetic brushes that, while they may not become family heirlooms, easily deliver great shaves for roughly a 5 -10+ year lifespan. This is supported by the many B&Ber posts lauding the performance of these tools.
To your point it is true that as the prices increase there are further quality enhancements as manufactures deliver tools with better materials such as brass or stainless razors, enhanced synthetic and badger knots combined with custom designed handles for brushes. This wide range of quality tools is great for our hobby as it makes it easy to get into and allows each of us to evolve as our preferences change over time. I understand and respect those who enjoy the collectable aspect of our hobby.
Congratulations on your recent epiphany regarding shaving brush preferences. It's enjoyable to read about your excitement regarding the new shaving experience these brushes provide and I hope we hear more. That said those of us who love our quality synthetic and boar brush shaves are having just as much fun on our DE shaving journeys.
A thoughtful and dignified post.