Modern Machined Stainless Steel Adjustable Toggle

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by blashe, Feb 25, 2018.

  1. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    There is one shop that will call me if I want. I only go looking once every few months, i go pick up my mom so she can visit the shops and i look for razors or avon aftershaves. Every shop says the same thing, there is a guy who comes by 3 times a week, i keep checking ebay to look for any sellers from the central valley California but have yet to see any, so i have no clue what he does with them. Im not really collecting so i only buy ones i will use so i have passed a bunch up, the only thing im really looking for is a fat boy.
     
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  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I have reached that point. I had three Flare Tips and a Lady Starburst that I bought because the price was right - less that $15.00 each. Took them to an antique shop and traded for a 1970's Kaywoodie Churchwarden and a Comoy's Arcadia (1940-50's?) tobacco pipe. I wasn't using the razors, I do like the pipes. About an even swap.
     
    Jim99 likes this.
  3. spot705

    spot705 Active Member

    I wish Janus Razors all the best, and I definitely will be following this build. I prefer genuine vintage stuff myself but totally appreciate what Eric is doing over there. I will applaud from the sidelines as every one they manufacture is sold immediately, the resell price skyrockets, and they have orders for more. Much like Icon 4x4, he is restomodding a classic. Taking a beautiful (but flawed) design and applying modern technology keeping the good and upgrading the bad. I can't wait to see the final result. It will be what the toggle should have been in the first place. With his obvious passion and attention to detail, it will not be released until perfect. It will take too long and cost too much but art always does.
     
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  4. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Good plan, and I hope he and others persevere. New materials and machining techniques for a better retro style shave!
     
  5. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    The biggest problem people dont realize with modern razors is long term profit projections, traditionally they lost money on the razors but made it up with blade sales, since none of these companies are manufacturing any blades, along with the fact blades for DE razors are dirt cheap, any top quality razors will have to be priced high if a busines is going to stick around, as it goes now, most companies have to keep releasing new razor models to keep people coming back. Also people are impatient, they will invest in a Kickstarter and bail at the first hang up, requesting a refund, its got to be hard to do R&D when at anytime your capitol can be pulled away. It seems most people look at a kickstarter as a pre order as opposed to investing in R&D, most projects dont make it so people should be prepared for that. From what I get this guy is financing his own R&D so that will help.
     
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  6. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I’m rooting for Janus Razors too. Since I mostly straight now I likely will not buy one but I hope he succeeds.
     
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  7. stanko

    stanko Member

    It,s only money, an think of the joy it will give you, an the amount of blood you lose .:signs107:
     
  8. Hairy Alaskan

    Hairy Alaskan eww da toilet

    This price includes a beautiful blonde to shave me daily for the first month though right?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  9. Jorvaljr

    Jorvaljr Operation Daytona 8000

    Oh you betcha...;)
    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Hairy Alaskan

    Hairy Alaskan eww da toilet

    SOLD!!!!!!
     
    blashe likes this.
  11. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    Eric posted pictures of a vintage Toggle next to his modern version prototype. His has a handle and flip lever (at the bottom) that dwarf the vintage razor. To a point that it looks out of proportion and too fat. Don't know how he will turn a profit with his recently announced pricing. I was interested, but $525 - $625??? Check out my avatar, I paid $298. for that 1960 "mint" Toggle.

    By the way, for those of you who have never shaved with a Toggle, in my opinion the Toggle shaves better than a Fat Boy. The Toggle weighs 88 grams and the Fat Boy weighs 80.8 grams. The extra heft allows you to shave without applying any pressure...the razor does all of the work. Plus when you rinse the razor, all you have to do is flip the lever half way and the doors open enough that all of the soapy hairs go down the drain.
     
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  12. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    If they actually make it to market, they will sell. Production numbers will be low enough that even just $$$ collectors are liable to be fighting over them. People will be begging for them on BST’s, offering to trade various unobtanium for them, and they will be listed for ridiculous prices on EBay.
     
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  13. kfbrady

    kfbrady Well-Known Member

    I really don't think a difference of 8 grams would make any difference to me. And a simple single twist of the TTO knob on a Fatboy or Slim opens the doors more than enough to flush the razor.

    Rather than paying a lot of money for a flawed design whose value depends only on its scarcity, you could probably get 6 mint Fatboys or 8 or more mint Slims, all in their cases with original accessories.

    Having said that of course I wish Janus all the luck in selling their improved Toggle.
     
    RyX likes this.
  14. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    In all of my travels, I missed reading about the Toggle's "flawed design". Please enlighten me with the details. I've owned four in my 60 years of shaving (beginning when I was 18 in 1960 and paid $10. for it) and enjoyed every shave. I've used Fat Boys, Slims, and many other models and brands. Each razor gave me great shaves, no complaints. But, I always gravitated back to the Toggles. Maybe because I grew up with that model razor. As far as the statement that "Rather than paying a lot of money for a flawed design whose value depends only on its scarcity, you could probably get 6 mint Fatboys or 8 or more mint Slims, all in their cases with original accessories." I'll use the analogy that a Volkswagen gets me from point A to point B, but maybe, since I can afford it, I prefer driving a BMW to get there instead. Besides, what would I do with 6 mint Fatboys or 8 or more mint Slims...I only need one razor, I'm not a collector anymore!
     
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  15. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    Well, there are the comments from Chris at RazorPlate.com: http://www.razorplate.com/p/the-gillette-toggle.html
     
  16. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    Thanks for the information John. I never saw such information before. My Toggle is not replated, nor do I expect to have it done. My current Toggle has seen daily use for 5 years and looks as good as new. No loss of gold plating anywhere, particularly on the doors. Perhaps I'm lucky!!! Since I have no reason to disassemble it, I'll never know how much crud has accumulated on its insides. But I'm sure there is some just like every other razor on the planet . I've always removed and dried my blade, rinsed my razors after use, wiped them down with a dry facecloth and removed every trace of soap with a QTip. After that, I replace the dried blade and put the razor away for another day. Some would call this excessive...I call it good preventive maintenance.
     
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  17. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Between the 50 years since the original Toggles were made, observations of the wear and tear by users of different styles, I do hope these prove fantastic. New materials and techniques for the win! If it looks different, but the same, has a big tog, and corrects issues of battle worn veterans it's progress.
     
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  18. pisces_0

    pisces_0 Well-Known Member

    :signs011:

    The razor is selling at a price-point where buyers are much less sensitive to overall cost. The Toggle is the holy grail in DE razor design, and Janus is capitalizing on that exclusivity with a modern updated design.

    If it delivers on performance and is marketed properly, it WILL sell.
     
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  19. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    I'm curious, though. At $500-$600 for a razor, what is a buyer expecting to get?

    From a shaving perspective, I assume that it is long past the point of diminishing returns. Is it all about the styling by then?
     
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  20. eddieb20842

    eddieb20842 Active Member

    Not to beat a dead horse, but the "Flawed" design of the Toggle's bottom lever wearing out the plating from repetitive use seems to be a Mantra among some members. How does the Modern version correct this wear issue? The Modern version's bottom lever looks the same as the vintage Toggle's from a design and operating viewpoint. Just because it is made of stainless steel does not exempt it from showing wear and tear after much use!
     
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