Entertaining Possibilities of New Razor Design

I'll put this here.

 

That's absurd......

 

Big deal Mr. Wonderful owns it

 

I am curious as I am already working on some razor designs. The thread is interesting an I have a few questions.

1. is this more then just a gripe thread?
2. Is anyone here actually willing to put money into the project?
3. If anyone actually wants this concept idea thread to actually result in razor designs, are they willing to actually pucker up, pull the wallet out and provide a decent flat screen led screen and a basic version of a 3d cad program that can do sheet metal and 3d modeling?

If the answer is YES, particularly to question no. 3, Lets start and make 2017 the year of the razor designed by the end user.

 

I would guess that the ideal razor for you isnt the same for me, and so on and so forth...I have my "ideal" razor and wouldnt change a thing about it, and I can get another one for $60 at most.....then you start throwing in those who are straight users and IMO it falls flat...but maybe thats just me.

 

then that's something I have seen on most forums. People gripe at the price and slow delivery on new razor designs, but never actually want to put money into the actual design and development of them.

Sure its easier to stand around and wait 3 years so you can be allowed to spend 2-300 on a custom stainless steel razor just to be cool. But its soo hard to put down cash into the development of an actual razor.

People on forums have awed and ooohed over the Rockwell adjustable crapper coming out, and drooled over the bararos rocnel patent infringer, but when it comes to the affordable Parker Adjustable, the reaction is "eh" mainly because it will be affordable to ANYONE and has limited prestige status based on how affordable and easy it is to get.

Same with fendrihan stainless razors going for 40-50$ at the moment. People on forums don't want them because they are soo low cost to get.

 

I too have my ideal razor. It's called a Gillette Slim. And I have about 10 other "ideal" DE razors in the drawer if I get bored with the Slim.

 

I can only answer for myself but I dont buy any new razors, and the only one I am going to be buying is the parker adjustable (pending actual cost) and im VERY excited about it (so much so that I started a thread about it)...for me Im perfectly fine witha a futur or progress and I dont "need" anything else and would never pay that much money for a razor...but again, that is just me and I dont think there is anything wrong with someone who does, because I have/and will again pay $40+ for soap which some would think is crazy...so I guess if we were to apply this to a "new soap production" I feel it would still end with the same result...what I would want to pay for to create, wouldnt mean what others would want to pay for...the whole YMMV thing....maybe Im wrong though because like I said, Im perfectly happy with what I have/can buy for razor options and dont feel the need to change anything.

 

What about something completely new like self-lubricating? What if the safety bar had micro holes like the almost invisible holes Apple uses on their aluminum bodied magic trakpad. They are used to show the power is on. When the LED is off, it looks like solid aluminum, but when the light comes on, it shines through the micro holes in the metal. What if you could design an aluminum safety bar with these that could coat the head in an oil on demand by the shaver. Clogging could be an issue, but lubricating strips enhance carts. It may be too complicated, but I think it is an interesting idea that I have not see done. I'm just thinking out of the box.

I also think the way razors are assembled could also improve with technology. Threads are cheap and simple, but they corrode through galvanic reactions of dissimilar metals, can strip, etc. I have also been cut being reckless tightening or loosening heads from their handles. What if heads connected to handles using a quick connect design with rubber bushings or o-rings? Snapping in place they can be locked down fast, safely, and securely. Dissimilar materials also become less of an issue.

Machining stainless is also expensive and complicated. Stainless can also rust over time. I think using heads made from powered sintered metal could have some advantages - price, complexity, and lubricated. Price is heavily based in creating the mold, but out can pop a fairly complex geometry that not only could be very difficult to machine, but requires less post machining. This process can also produce metals that are more porous. They can be infused with oils to make things like self lubricating bearings. I don't know how this could effect a razor head, but it is interesting. I think the Rockwell 6S may be already made using this process, but I suggest that it can be taken to a higher level with more complex geometries then just somewhat basic rectangular shapes - think slants.

Just some ideas...

 

Other side of that coin is that many razor designers overplay their hand with no start up capitalization whatsoever. This leads to an inability to develop any economy of scale when manufacturing, and relegates most offerings to niche status.

 

Would micro holes and porosity encourage microbial issues, and possibly corrosion as well?

 

Good point about the micro holes. There are probably a million issues to develop something like this - especially at a reasonable cost. Just trying to think about ideas and brainstorm for fun. It might trigger an idea from someone else.

I doubt the porosity that can be baked in sintered powdered metals is an issue. You can also control the amount based on the application. I believe manufacturing tech is already being used. I was just thinking about really increasing the complexity of the head geometries in metal.

 

Are you looking for investors to partner in with you?

 

This is what happens when years-old threads get reopened. So much constructive stuff in the first three pages, and by page five it's no longer in the same planetary system.

Personally, I think it's all been done, at least everything practical and economical. The key to the shave experience lies in acquiring technique and skill. There's a reason some people get two pass DFS with a DE blade stapled to a Popsicle stick, and others invent new razors....

Life is full of decisions. Choose wisely.

 

No one with a prototype machine has the interest in transferring drawings from paper into a cad program, so I need one.

When I did my original thread on the theshavringroom, everybody was happy to talk about designing a razor that everyone would want, but no one would be willing to help out with the basics of a cad program.

I already know a company that can do the base plates for any razor like say a Gillette super speed, the only issue is they would require a minimum order of 2,000 lineal feet of produced parts.

I even thought up of a way to make a modern fat boy out of stainless steel, the only issue is I would once again have to purchase 2,000 lineal feet of each component.

The cost of stainless steel heads is based on that the people doing are going with the most expensive family machine shops they can find. Instead of having say, "timmy" do 10 handles an hour on a cnc lathe, go to a company that has a screw/bolt machine and do 200 handles an hour, just buy stainless steel rod.

 

Perhaps if you could show some sort of progress in your designs, or any basic design period, people would be more serious about stepping up.

Wet shavers as a group will back (and have) all sorts of new ideas, but they need a vision to grasp onto; more than a claim that someone designed a razor at 2:00 A.M. while sitting on the toilet.

Take the Rockwell "Crapper" as you call it. All they had to do was show some basic drawings and people gave them a half a million dollars to build it.

TA-DA!

 

I have a few Razors I am good with. I really don't need more. I could do very well with a Gillette Fatboy and nothing else

 

I know this is an old post but I'll add this if you can't patent it good luck raising capital beyond niche status. End user based design model for one offs won't keep a company afloat by itself. To go that route you'd need to own the machining equipment and rent out time usage after things like raw materials are priced into the equation. With that said I don't see why someone couldn't bang out 3d printed Bakelite razors en mass as a garage operation and then sell through amazon marketplace and ebay if the material and electricity costs justify it. Labor is not an issue here if you start out as a one man operation. You need to price based on how many you need to sell not man hours per unit in the beginning.

With that said I do know how to make a revision on how adjustables work that can be patented but in order for it to be successful I would have develop a whole business model around the patent not the razor and adapt it to other applications.