AOS currently sells Merkurs, with high rents they probably have a low profit margin. If they start selling Tech's made in India branded as Gillette's, they will have a higher profit margin than the Merkur's. Why was the Giesen + Forsthoff Timor TTO DE more expensive than the original product?
Again I ask, what would be the point? The money is still where Mr. Gillette said it was: in the blades, not the razors. The only difference now is, cartridges are the blades. They may throw an inexpensive (for them) bone to DE users, but they won't risk their cart money. Nor would I, in their place.
For me I'm not a tech guy anyway but just because it had the Gillette name I still wouldn't get excited about it. However DE shaving is certainly growing in popularity, had something like this been on the shelf when I changed over a couple years ago I would have grabbed it. For us enthusiasts the choices are too numerous to consider any offering by Gillette unless value is there.
Gillette may see MTO and VDH sets on the shelves of Walmart and Target as a somewhat threat to the dominate cart market. Rolling out a Tech with AoS may be the first step to using their clout to push either or both of those off major retail shelves. There's only so much shelf space, and a major player can have influence over the little guys.
True. AOS can only be a first step if they're serious about this (assuming there really is a 'this').
Does anyone know where the Gillette Sterling 7 O'Clock DE is made? (BTW I am new here. Hello guys.) These razors are selling on Ebay. Has anyone tried them? Are they any good? I ran a forum search but didn't come up with anything. Hope I am not posting anything that is an old topic.
What's confusing me, at this point, is the price point. I believe an earlier post mentioned $55 for the unnumbered consumer-packed version. Geez! When the rumors first hit, I expected something like a repacked 7 O'Clock Sterling with a better handle (maybe a reproduction of the original Tech fat handle). Assuming the current Zamac construction, I'd consider that to be a $5-$10 razor including a decent profit for Gillette. At $55, though, it seems like we're either talking highway robbery or some serious hardware. Somebody help me out here... how much would it realistically cost to produce a Tech in plated brass or (gasp) stainless steel? Heck, at that price, it would almost be profitable to buy up lots of original pre-war Techs and have them replated by Razor Emporium.
Welcome, are you the same Graydog from over on B&B? As for the Sterling, they seem to be a YMMV razor. Lots of people consider them to be the equivalent of a late production Tech (which is what they appear to be). OTOH, you will see (including in this thread) various disparaging comments about third-world razors made of mystery metal. Personally, I go with the former group- the Sterling (and its Chinese counterpart) appear to be a late generation Zamac Tech with pretty much the same performance.
Thanks John. No I am not the same Graydog at BB. I didn't know if the Sterling was the new Gillette. I my just jump for one at only $7.00.
Time will tell, lets see.... what material was the fat handle tech made of? was it brass handle and Zink head or was it all brass?
I just parted with a current production Gillette Sterling 3 piece "Tech". I really didn't like it and it is now touring in the NationWide Box tour. I got mine from India for less than $2 and it was worth at least that much. It stayed bladeless most of the time it was here and my 4 year old "shaved" with it. It was cheap feeling with a plastic handle and a thin stamped mystery metal head. I think the Super Platinum razor is the snap shut head instead of the screw together one. I thought about trying one since they are so cheap on eBay but not until I decide my shaves are going too smoothly and I need to thrown in a wildcard to keep it interesting.
I'm not an economist, so I don't know how these razors would affect the price of vintage versions. As for losing revenue on cartridge sales, Gillette already produces the majority of the blades we already use. Assuming that is not going to change, Gillette will not be losing customers. I don't think Gillette will manufacture anything in the US or Western Europe and they're already set up to make blades for sale. What I suspect will happen is that their Western, developed nations customers will be charged more for the blades they will try to sell to them, cf. Brazilian Platinum Plus blades priced at $0.67 per blade and their other Russian/Indian blades at $0.15-0.25 per blade.
Why not just get a vintage Gillette? Some of them can be found for $10- $20, and I guarantee if it is from AOS it will be expensive. ( which is not to say bad quality)
Why would I spend 55 or 75 bucks on a new tech when I can buy authentic vintage techs for 10 to 20 bucks on eBay? It seems like they are going after a crowd that doesn't know any better.
If it turns out to be a serious step toward reigniting the DE market with a truly quality (not just usable) razor at a reasonable price...I'll buy one. Personally, I'm not sure selling it exclusively through AOS, if that's what happens, would count as serious.
Let's be honest for a moment...all this chatter and speculation about a Tech reissue by Gillette is exciting because it was the Gillette DE that is, for many of us, the gold standard for our wet shaving passion. It is the memories of the Gillette DE that our fathers used at the bathroom sink when we were kids that fills us with the nostalgia that many of us feel every time we step up to the sink in the morning. All the modern DE razors are fashioned after King's original designs. Whether you use a Merkur, a Feather, an Ikon or, as in my case, a vintage Gillette Heavy Tech, there is something exciting about a reissue of a classic razor rising from the sands of time. Quality, price, date stamped or boxed set are all the things that we wet shavers get excited about with any new razor entering (or in this case, re-entering) the marketplace. Personally, I think this is a great moment in time. Let's enjoy every minute of it.
Hear , Hear!!! Thank You Rusty Blade! I can't believe there are so many negative posts about this. This seems almost like a historical moment in time to me. Long Live King Gillette!!!!
Gillette is not the king any more considering we have the new King of all brass tto the Pearl razors India, the adjustable all stainless steel King Rockwell 6s, the all brass 3 piece King OC/CC Fatip. I mentioned these manufacturers considering the quality materials build and quality shave they bring with their razors baked up by its great price point. So no, Gillette is not the king any more not even their vintage razors do not compare vs what we have today. How do I know this you ask? Well I'm holding the Fatboy next to the Rockwell 6s and shaved with both of them and the Fatboy looks like the Poorboy when compared....
