Has the craze leveled out finally?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Knox, Oct 13, 2017.

  1. Knox

    Knox Well-Known Member

    I have noticed a lot of razors going unsold on the Bay lately, or being sold at reasonable prices.

    But I am still seeing Super Speeds and Techs being listed at unreasonable starting prices ($75 for a Super Speed and $39 for a Travel Tech?).

    The good news, I suppose, is that hopefully we can start adding to our collection again as sellers start realizing they are no longer going to get $120 for that Fatboy or $60 for that Slim. The bad news is those of us who DID overpay last year might feel a bit sad.

    But overall, I am glad to see the prices coming down. Or at least, going un sold for high prices.
     
  2. blashe

    blashe Well-Known Member

    I have been in the safety razor game for around 2 years and I remember 2 years a go vintage razors were expensive. All my 5 Adjustable Gillette razors cost me $130 and the gems were somewhere around 12-15 bucks each, same goes for the both the Schick and Personna Adjustable cost wise as the Gillette ones around $25 per razor. For sure prices are much better now.

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    When I joined TSD, Nice Fatboys were $25 and Slims were $15. A couple years ago, nice Fatboys were $60 and Slims were $40. Cased versions were $120 and $70, respectively. I haven't checked Fatboy pricing on eBay in about two years.

    These were all user grade, with no plate loss.
     
  4. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Things are cyclical and as the flavor of the month changes, so will the demand and pricing.

    Overall, most of this crap is a bunch more expensive than when I started.
     
  5. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    As far as razors go, I stick to the fleamarket and have no issues on prices. Now that it'll be closing down in a month or so, I'll probably buy a soap or two. That and make up my Christmas list :)
     
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  6. DesertTime

    DesertTime Well-Known Member

    Recently, I noticed the prices of the exotic metal artisan razors starting to dip below $100. A few years ago, many ZAMAC razors were highly rated and admired (Muhle, Merkur, etc). I noticed a correlation in the rise of ZAMAC hatred (unheard of just a few years ago) and the introduction of more small production SS razors (at some ridiculous prices IMO). These influences may have affected the vintage market as well.

    Perhaps the whole market (that be us) is starting to come back into balance. With folks realizing a quality razor is a quality razor regardless of the materials, obtaining a razor at 3x the price because if what it's made from loses it's appeal. Quality razors are still produced by Muhle and others and Parker is coming up strong making terrific, high quality shavers in "junk" metal and selling them like crazy. I'm sure this isn't lost on the small production razor vendors (not if they want to stay in business).

    Plus, competition is surely driving prices down. There are a lot of folks making razors now.
     
  7. John Beeman

    John Beeman Little chicken in hot water

    I too have noticed that razor prices on eBay seem to have come down a bit.

    You still see the occasional ad where someone is asking a price that no reasonable person with 15 minutes of razor shopping experience would pay, but you see that sort of thing in many categories (not just razors).

    In fact, I’ve had to surf with a seatbelt on recently because I’m getting tempted to buy razors I already own just because I’m seeing good deals.
     
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  8. FaceScraper

    FaceScraper Well-Known Member

    Please enlighten me on something fellas...
    Why is it that Fatboys are pretty much the “holy grail” for Gillette adjustables? I’m not knocking them at all...I have two of them. I just don’t quite understand why the Fatboys get all the love, and the Slims are barely given any interest. I know that there are some who like the Slims better. But, overall, the Fatboys command way higher prices. Sure, you can nitpick over the geometry, however with proper technique, they shave the same. I do like the looks of the Fatboys a little over the Slim, yet the Slim it what I normally grab. Don’t ask me to explain...I don’t have a reason! What are your thoughts Denizens?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  9. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    Don't know what all the hype is about either. I have a 1971 Super Adjustable 109..
    IMG_0244.JPG
    and a 1967 Slim Adjustable...
    IMG_0978.JPG
    Both of which shave great. No desire to pick up a Fatboy.
     
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  10. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    Rarer perhaps ?
     
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  11. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    Same here, I've seen some pretty good deals myself lately.
     
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  12. Knox

    Knox Well-Known Member

    This.
     
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  13. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Just not an appropriate word to use for a razor probably produced in the millions. Less common than Slims perhaps, but when there are always 150 Fatboys available on eBay on any day it seems silly to speak of any scarcity of Fatboys.
     
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  14. FaceScraper

    FaceScraper Well-Known Member

    I agree. Being “rare” crossed my mind at first, however, as a mass produced razor, it’s unlikely. The Toggle, yes. I’ll buy into that being more on the rare side of the spectrum. But the regular ol’ Fatboy was cranked out big time. Could it just be based on the looks? Maybe so. Inquiring minds wanna know!


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  15. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    Fatboy's, Slim's, and Black Beauty's are all over rated, in my opinion; as are all adjustable razors.

    The same can be said for any other make, model, style, grind, alloy, etc...

    If you have the cash, and the desire; spend what you will!

    I have gifted Barbasol Floating Head razors, Dubl Ducks, Ranger's, various other razors... Meh! They are all just shavers...

    I suppose the value is what the owner places on the hardware at the time of the disposal.

    I, myself dropped out of the razor acquisition disorder when I found the 2011 version of the Muhle R41.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2017
  16. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I too have two Fat Boys and one Slim; it is of mere personal preference that I favor the Fat Boys over the Slim (size and heft). I find it funny that over the years I've had my collection at twenty or so swell and wane, but recently I find myself very willing to part with pieces here and there. The ones I keep need to give me great pleasure or we part ways. I have a 40's Super Speed and a Ranger Tech; they both shave very much alike, so the Ranger Tech will be finding a new home. I've had Sheratons, Aristocrats, Gillette News, Single Rings, Goodwills, LC, SC, Old Type, Red Tips, Aristocrat Jrs and many others. None of them wowed me so they were sent on there way. My favorites are my Techs Pre and Post War (American, English and Canadian), Flares (American and English), Wilkinson "Sticky", Krona, and my Brazilian Mono Tech.

    Like what you like, but there's no need in owning everything ... trying yes, owning no.

    I'm in the middle of trying a Schick Eversharp type E2 and so far it's not looking good, but only time will tell. (I'll give it a month) :D
     
  17. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    No one get's issued a restraint device for when the AD's hit. Maybe these should be required?
    The Nth Dimention.gif
    I get @jmudrick and the disdain for Gillette Fanbois. I feel the same way about Cameros and Corvettes. Jim @RetLEO-07 and I share the fleamarket mindset - don't shop the bay where fanaticism rules the prices. The first FatBoy I held had a $45 price tag. I didn't buy it, but within a week I found one for $5. I still have it and it shaves as well (on #9) as a RedTip, a NEW Long Comb, a Fatip, or several other DE's in my den. I still can't make a Krona perform aggressively, but that's how they were made.
    YOMV.
     
  18. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    :signs021: You could try shimming the Krona. :signs002: :happy097: :scared007:
     
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  19. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    99.9% sure it mostly boils down to weight.

    The Fatboy is a heavier razor. In this day and age of disposable plastic crap, the heavier something is, the more solid and valuable it feels. (Ironically, most stainless razors feel too heavy to me.) *See Red tip vs Blue tip super speed razor pricing if you don't believe me. I get a more comfortable shave from the blue tip than I do from the red tip, but I do love the handle on the red tip. I wish they had made all super speeds with that handle.

    Back on topic, the Fatboy is also proportionally more aesthetic. It looks more balanced. The knurling is also better looking than the Slim's.

    There is about two to four Slim's for every one Fatboy out there, based on number of years sold; so there's the rarity issue as well.
     
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  20. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    As far as the Krona, I found that the "aggressive" blades perform, for me anyway very nicely. Same with the Black Tip.
     
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