Wolfman prices

[azwetshaver]

I drifted away from DEs when I starting using straights. Recently I've been picking up my DEs more often. I regret trading away a Wolfman I had. I see BST prices and rarely see one under $500. That's too high for someone that occasionally uses a DE. If I'm blowing $500, it's going to be pristine Filarmonica 14 Especial. I know Wolfman raised his prices and now has a waitlist. From what I've read, the waitlist is not that long. Being out of the DE loop, I figured the waitlist would stop the flipping and figured his retail was close to $500.

I went to his website and for a complete razor it comes out to $400. I was told that his prices are still in Canadian Dollars (cad). So that puts $400 cad at around $316 usd. Add an exchange fee $10 and shipping $20, and that brings the total to roughly $350.

Is my math correct? If so, EVERYONE is selling ~140% of retail? I know it's the convenience of not waiting, but I would expect to occassionally see one priced at retail and not at a profit. Can I get a new Wolfman for $350ish?

I understand this is not the mirror polish. Is the machine polish equivalent to the standard polish he used to offer before it was an option? Or is this what he calls the mirror polish option?

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I drifted away from DEs when I starting using straights. Recently I've been picking up my DEs more often. I regret trading away a Wolfman I had. I see BST prices and rarely see one under $500. That's too high for someone that occasionally uses a DE. If I'm blowing $500, it's going to be pristine Filarmonica 14 Especial. I know Wolfman raised his prices and now has a waitlist. From what I've read, the waitlist is not that long. Being out of the DE loop, I figured the waitlist would stop the flipping and figured his retail was close to $500.

I went to his website and for a complete razor it comes out to $400. I was told that his prices are still in Canadian Dollars (cad). So that puts $400 cad at around $316 usd. Add an exchange fee $10 and shipping $20, and that brings the total to roughly $350.

Is my math correct? If so, EVERYONE is selling ~140% of retail? I know it's the convenience of not waiting, but I would expect to occassionally see one priced at retail and not at a profit. Can I get a new Wolfman for $350ish?

I understand this is not the mirror polish. Is the machine polish equivalent to the standard polish he used to offer before it was an option? Or is this what he calls the mirror polish option?

Shipping is free. Your math is otherwise correct. Jump back on the waiting list, wait 6-7 months, and you’ll pay a bit more than $300 USD for another Wolf. I refuse to pay the secondary market premium; but many will (which is why they always sell).

 

[SgtCrppls]

Dan is completely correct, secondary market is there because people want things now

 

[blantyre]

The price you quote is probably for basic polish or lightly sanded. I paid 200 for the razor and 150 over base price for the handle to be mirror-polished. There are also intermediate levels of finish. Secondary market razors have different combinations of finish. $500 for a mirror polish razor with handle would be a lot less than Wolfman would charge.

 

[Tomo]

This is the way that a lot of things have gone in this hobby. Waiting lists for a Wolfman and Koraat razors. Occasional Paladin and Westholme ‘product drops’. 45 day lead time on made to order Sebum shaving soap. It’ really is a seller’s market at the top end of town.

It’s nice for the seller to never have any stock on hand and creates some hype around the product but it’s quite annoying for the buyer who’s attempting to actually buy something. Better to sell a few items at high prices and keep a small crew busy than ramp up and saturate the market I guess.

Of course there are plenty of alternatives but sometimes you just want to buy what you want when you want it. Is instant gratification really too much to ask as a consumer?

 

[azwetshaver]

This is the way that a lot of things have gone in this hobby. Waiting lists for a Wolfman and Koraat razors. Occasional Paladin and Westholme ‘product drops’. 45 day lead time on made to order Sebum shaving soap. It’ really is a seller’s market at the top end of town.

It’s nice for the seller to never have any stock on hand and creates some hype around the product but it’s quite annoying for the buyer who’s attempting to actually buy something. Better to sell a few items at high prices and keep a small crew busy than ramp up and saturate the market I guess.

Of course there are plenty of alternatives but sometimes you just want to buy what you want when you want it. Is instant gratification really too much to ask as a consumer?

I agree. Years ago you needed alot of luck to buy a Wolfman or Paladin. Many folks waited for years to be at the right place and right time. Now with the waitlist, you just need some patience.

I recall my Koraat taking about 8 weeks to be completed. While the wait was torturous, I wouldn't pay a premium to have it in 3 days. That's just me.

 

[azwetshaver]

The price you quote is probably for basic polish or lightly sanded. I paid 200 for the razor and 150 over base price for the handle to be mirror-polished. There are also intermediate levels of finish. Secondary market razors have different combinations of finish. $500 for a mirror polish razor with handle would be a lot less than Wolfman would charge.

The secondary prices I quoted have been for basic polish. I have seen mirror polished razors sell for more.

 

[azwetshaver]

Shipping is free. Your math is otherwise correct. Jump back on the waiting list, wait 6-7 months, and you’ll pay a bit more than $300 USD for another Wolf. I refuse to pay the secondary market premium; but many will (which is why they always sell).

Thanks. Looks like I will have 6-7 months to decide on WR1 or WR2. The last Wolfman I had was a WR1 standard SB. I was able to buy it second hand, at retail price, from a very generous member. This was before the waitlist.

 

[azwetshaver]

This is the way that a lot of things have gone in this hobby. Waiting lists for a Wolfman and Koraat razors. Occasional Paladin and Westholme ‘product drops’. 45 day lead time on made to order Sebum shaving soap. It’ really is a seller’s market at the top end of town.

It’s nice for the seller to never have any stock on hand and creates some hype around the product but it’s quite annoying for the buyer who’s attempting to actually buy something. Better to sell a few items at high prices and keep a small crew busy than ramp up and saturate the market I guess.

Of course there are plenty of alternatives but sometimes you just want to buy what you want when you want it. Is instant gratification really too much to ask as a consumer?

Now that you mention Koraat, maybe the money is better spent there.

 

[Tester28]

My entire attitude towards wolfman can be summed up in a line:

I am too poor to buy cheap stuff.

 

[Tester28]

FWIW I sold some wolfman items recently and they were pretty much at cost, with a slight
upcharge to cover shipping and paypal's fee.

 

[Fedsbackhand]

I’ve seen them go for near retail, like $350 for a basic finish but you need a little luck to find one though. Patience is key.

Or just join the list and actually get the setup you wanted in the first place.

 

[BigJ]

Thanks. Looks like I will have 6-7 months to decide on WR1 or WR2. The last Wolfman I had was a WR1 standard SB. I was able to buy it second hand, at retail price, from a very generous member. This was before the waitlist.

Still, for many of us the Wolfman is worth the wait!! And the choice between WR1 and WR2 can be difficult!

 

[steffenapelz]

I just sold my WR1 that was barely used, but it wasn't a calculated flip. I genuinely could not get a consistently good shave with it...it just never quite agreed with my skin/beard type. I did sell it for $525 shipped to another (new) user on this site and the transaction was flawless for both of us. If I had been willing to list it on ebay, I could have sold it for closer to $650. Did I make a "profit" of $200? Yes...but that wasn't the motivation behind my original purchase. As a matter of fact, I am done acquiring Wolfmans...my WR2 is perfect for my skin and I have tried the WR1 and it doesn't work. No need for me to go back on the list and take a spot from someone who genuinely wants to buy a Wolfman. Have at it, gents.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I see Paladin mentioned in this thread and my recent experience is that in the UK prices for barely used Paladin brushes are low compared to where they were. I often see pristine 28mm examples on the UK Bay for just over £100 delivered and they can take weeks to sell, 26mm brushes can be under £90 delivered.

 

[muzichead]

The secondary prices I quoted have been for basic polish. I have seen mirror polished razors sell for more.

I've been watching the BST's here and on a couple other forums and in the last 9mos to a year and there have been "very" few WR1 or WR2's listed in either basic matte/brushed or basic textured/polished sold. When there is one listed it is usually in the $350 range and sell within a day or two. If you've seen them listed in the $500 range they usually have a stand included is why!!

I'd say 95% of the ones I've seen have been mirror polished and they have been selling for near cost, $500-700 depending if a stand is included + shipping and insurance. I haven't seen any real big flipping numbers on Wolfman razors in the BST's except for maybe the BBS1's which are seeing even bigger numbers than usual...

 

[Medivh]

I've been watching the BST's here and on a couple other forums and in the last 9mos to a year and there have been "very" few WR1 or WR2's listed in either basic matte/brushed or basic textured/polished sold. When there is one listed it is usually in the $350 range and sell within a day or two. If you've seen them listed in the $500 range they usually have a stand included is why!!

I'd say 95% of the ones I've seen have been mirror polished and they have been selling for near cost, $500-700 depending if a stand is included + shipping and insurance. I haven't seen any real big flipping numbers on Wolfman razors in the BST's except for maybe the BBS1's which are seeing even bigger numbers than usual...

It depends what you're looking for and how many extra things do you want. Personally, if I ever change my mind and decide to get a Wolfman, I would probably buy a dual-comb head with the basic polish, without a handle and stand and I will pay $250, which isn't that bad. I have a few good handles which are going to just fine and i'm not really a fan of mirror finishes and I can always put it on some of my other stands.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

It depends what you're looking for and how many extra things do you want. Personally, if I ever change my mind and decide to get a Wolfman, I would probably buy a dual-comb head with the basic polish, without a handle and stand and I will pay $250, which isn't that bad. I have a few good handles which are going to just fine and i'm not really a fan of mirror finishes and I can always put it on some of my other stands.

Actually, it will only cost you about $200 (today is $197) for just the head. The prices listed are CAD.

 

[never-stop-learning]

It depends what you're looking for and how many extra things do you want. Personally, if I ever change my mind and decide to get a Wolfman, I would probably buy a dual-comb head with the basic polish, without a handle and stand and I will pay $250, which isn't that bad. I have a few good handles which are going to just fine and i'm not really a fan of mirror finishes and I can always put it on some of my other stands.

Actually, it will only cost you about $200 (today is $197) for just the head. The prices listed are CAD.

That's what I did. The WR2 1.25 SB head was right around $200US. Works great with my favorite handles.

 

[dfoulk]

It seems like the mirror finish ones were selling in the $500 to $600 range but somehow the basic finish ones are selling for $500 now, even though they are much less expensive to purchase. Not sure if people are purchasing the high polish ones since the price increase, but people are willing to pay $500 for a basic polish one on the secondary market.

So it's a $150 fee to not have to wait 7 months to a year to get what you want.

With the polish what you used to see, before the pricing changes, was only the high end mirror and the high end brushed. Apparently, both of these finishes were very time consuming to do. So what he has done is offered a basic mirror and a basic brushed for a lower amount to reflect the decrease in time that he spends polishing. Basically he calls it quite on polishing a bit earlier. They still look exceptional, it's just not perfection to someone who is completely obsessed about it. These higher end finishes (that used to be the default choices) are still available at an increased cost for those willing to pay more.

I've compared finishes side by side and it's minimally noticeable, but only if you start at it and study it for a while. The basic finishes are very nice.