The more I think about it, the less interested I am. Like any reboot, I doubt the new Tech will be better than the original. I have both a pre-war & post war Tech Heavy, so I can't say I'd drop any money on getting a remake...especially since it's highly improbable it's going to have "Made in U.S.A." stamped on it.
Some comments in this thread make me scratch my head. Forever, many folks here have said "Gillette needs to get back into the DE market in the USA"or "we need more options (razors and blades) to buy locally and not just online" or something similar. Now it appears it is possibly going to happen and some folks are saying, not interested, gonna be too expense, where is it made, don't see it being any better than what I have etc, etc....give me a break. Although valid questions, the thing isn't even on the market yet. Before folks get all worked up over this, how about we see what the facts are first then debate it. The speculation and negativity with some posts remind me that no matter what people complain, even if there is nothing to complain about.
Of course, it is ALL speculation at this point. I do agree with you that it is perhaps best to at least wait until something conclusive has been presented before offering derisive commentary. Then again, those folks who have 'forever' been wishing for Gillette to get back into the DE market are probably NOT the same folks who are critical or have little interest in the new DE models potentially being offered.
@HolyRollah you are correct and agree with your post. I probably came across harsh, for which I apologize. I enjoy a good debate, and if/when any new DE's are released there will be plenty of opportunities for such a debate and/or discussions at that time.
I swear to all that is holy, I am not trying to troll this thread. This will be my last post, I promise, but I want to list some thoughts. I will gracefully bow out going forward. (I will still follow and offer my mea culpa and publicly eat crow if this comes to fruition in any meaningful way.) - Isn't the whole point of collecting, to aquire items that other people don't have? Stamps, guns, knives, what have you.. Wouldn't new releases of "antique" Gillettes cheapen that? I don't even have a good example, but "collectible because the manufacturer said so, and put a # on it, vs antique are two hugely different things. - When I buy Antique stuff (being practical, not collecting) I do it because sometimes old stuff is better made than new. Does anybody here believe for one second that any POSSIBLE razor coming out today is going to be better built than the ones from the forties or fifties? It isn't like there is any new technology involved here. I still hold with the idea that you are not going to see American, clock punching, lunch box carrying factory worker making these razors. That ship sailed decades ago. - Then I ask you, if it actually comes down to under-paid factory workers building (somewhere in a second or third world country) crap... Just to be sold at inflated prices in stores like AOS.... What's the point for actual traditional wet shavers? Maybe for trendy upper middle class wives to buy their husband for Father's Day... So, if the "Fatboy" is your grail, for example... If you really think they shave better than anything else.... Guaranteed, you could buy about any half roached "actual Fatboy" on E-Bay and have Chris at Razorplate do it up for you for far less than any Indian made half Zamack, half brass, AOS branded "Fatboy" is going to sell for, and you would actually have something to show us on a thread. Even if this pans out, I just don't understand the excitement. Okay, I promise I have bowed out.
" Customer Service <CustomerService@theartofshaving.com> Today at 4:48 PM To James Message body Hello James, It's terrific to hear that you are connoisseur of the finer things in life and an admirer of the Gillette safety razor. We hope you’ll appreciate that there are times when one has to play their cards close to the chest when it comes to rumored releases. We promise to share any news with The Art of Shaving’s Brotherhood as soon as new products are available - In the meantime, we encourage you to consider The Art of Shaving’s safety razor’s. Our safety razor’s are beautifully designed, handily weighted and destined to be legends themselves. Please feel free to let us know if there is anything else I can assist you with at this time. Regards, Customer Service The Art of Shaving From: James [myaddress@emailprovider.com] Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 1:07 PM To: Customer Service Subject: AOS releasing Gillette Razors Recently rumors have started picking up steam, again, that Art of Shaving will be releasing remakes of classic Gillette razors starting with the tech. Can you verify if these rumors are true or of this is a rehashing of the previous rumors?" Hmm, a non-denial denial.......
If you have the original, why buy a copy? And considering what I've seen of AOS's prices, why buy an *expensive* copy? Nothing "negative" about that...just common sense.
Here is a twist , this email arrived this morning from AOS- Hello Alan, It's terrific to hear that you are connoisseur of the finer things in life and an admirer of the new Gillette Double Edge Razor. We hope you’ll appreciate that there are times when one has to play their cards close to the chest when it comes to rumored releases. We promise to share any news with The Art of Shaving’s Brotherhood as soon as new products are available - In the meantime, we encourage you to consider The Art of Shaving’s safety razor’s. Our safety razor’s are beautifully designed, handily weighted and destined to be legends themselves. Please feel free to let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with at this time. Regards, Customer Service The Art of Shaving _______________________________________ Today at 12:23 PMEditDeleteReport Reply AGHisBBS, Jorvaljr and Robyflexx like this. This is an entry in this topic from the previous page references an email I sent them the other day. It is very similar to the email just posted.
I'll reserve judgment on the quality of these razors until if and when they're released. Would I buy one? Maybe. It depends on the quality and price. For many of us here, we'll know the difference between the originals and the reissues. I, for one, would rather have the original because each one has a story that the reissues just won't have. It's all about taking a mundane activity and making it fun and the original Gillettes do that for me. I wouldn't worry about how the reissue affects the prices of the originals. I didn't pay that much for mine for it to be a factor. Hey, if it drops the price of the originals, maybe I can get a mint 58 fatboy with a case for $20. Also, if the reissues bring in the hipsters, that's great! It might ensure DE shaving continues well after we're gone. In the end, Gillette needs to make money. So, who knows how this turns out. We'll have to wait and see.
Nothing makes me feel all warm and fuzzy (and valued!) than getting a good computer-generated form reply letter sent out to all interested potential customers!
Cui bono? The possibilities...correct me if I'm missing anything. 1) It's false. Gillette has no such plans. 2) It's true, there will be a new razor. It will be a rebranded, slightly tweaked existing razor. Regardless of quality, it will almost certainly be one we can get now for less. Gillette gains nothing. 3) It's true, there will be a new razor. It will be something new from Gillette, but cheaply made. The aim will be to get guys to buy the name more than the razor, or inspire people to buy it for wetshavers as gifts, but few wetshavers will actually want one, especially at the likely high price. Gillette gains nothing. 4) It's true, there will be a new razor. It will be reasonably well made but at an unreasonably high price for the quality. It will be more of a novelty sell with only die-hard shavers like ourselves interested (and even then, not all of us). Gillette gains nothing. 5) It's true, there will be a new razor. It will be a high quality brass clone, with slight modifications, of the original Tech. In modern terms, they knock it out of the park and so arguably worth the VERY high price but...see #4. I really don't see how any scenario plays out as worth Gillette's time. So who would benefit from Gillette doing anything different from what they're doing now? Not Gillette! The longer I've mulled this today, the more I agree with Omaney that it's curtain #1.
This is starting to sound like: "We generated a rumour to see if there was any interest in a remake of vintage Gillette razors, and if there is enough interest we might actually make them."
Oh, and just to cover all bases... 6) Quality-wise, it will exactly duplicate the classic Tech design AND will be at a very reasonable, competitive price that could turn on a lot of people to DE shaving. Gillette makes out on sales but the tradeoff is a loss of slaves to overprice cart systems. Gillette gains...not much.
They already know there's a good deal of interest. But they will never EVER make any move that seriously cuts into the bottom line of the cart market.
