What is the appeal of stainless steel DE razors?

I have noticed, in my short time on the forums, there seems to be a growing appeal for the stainless steel DE razor, e.g. Feather. Ikon, Mongoose, Blackbird, etc. What is the difference between a stainless razor and other types of razors? Is there a particular feature that makes it desirable? I can accept the "cool factor" and the "wow factor"...but is there something else I am missing? I notice they tend to be quite pricey...

 

Speaking for myself, I prefer *vintage* things. I have 36 coffee brewing devices; three are modern auto-drip (plus a French press and AeroPress), but the rest date from early 1900s to the '60s. My oldest is probably 100 years old or so. Are they any *better* than my new ones? No. More efficient? Hardly. Do they make better coffee? Not really. I just like the idea that I'm using something that's been around for 50, 60, 70 years or more. Kinda reliving the past, I reckon. That's the "cool factor" for me...not a gleaming hunk of modern steel, but a hammered aluminum pot or hand-blown glass bowl. Stepping back in time, if only for a moment, and wondering who was using it when it was new.

 

Those of us who have been burned by "rotting" alloy razors tend to shun them in favor of vintage brass or modern SS and aluminum.

 

Personally I just like the weight and knowing that it's going to last if I slack off on my cleaning or drying.

 

indestructible is cool
no rust
no finish issues
solid construction
the more you use it, the shinier it gets

 

It seems to me that the current offerings of stainless steel razors are on par with the quality of vintage brass razors of the last century. I have a Weber (no longer being made) and a Blackbird (just born) and just traded an Ikon. They are great tools and their quality rivals my vintage Gillette New razors. For me, the first appeal of the Weber and Blackbird was the fact that they are from small businesses of which I am a real fan.

 

I just love my Pal.

 

Here's the deal. The new line of safety razors that have been introduced in the last couple of years have been cutting edge, and with the new designs come better material (stainless steel) and pricing.

 

For those of you who are keen on stainless razors...Fendrihan has a new line of stainless steel razors. With the CDN dollar being so low the pricing should be good for you folks south of the border. I have been admiring these razors, but while the razors do look nice, I don't like the combination open comb/closed comb heads.

http://www.fendrihan.ca/products/fendrihan-scientist-full-stainless-steel-safety-razor

 

I like the look of the new razors, but I favor the shaves of the vintage. I've used the Mongoose and the Cobra. The Mongoose is tops in quality, but I've had better shaves from many of my vintage razors. The Cobra leaves a lot to be desired, finish wise, and ease of loading, at least for me. Each of these use a special blade, and there are only two companies that produce them. The blades are also expensive.
I do like the look of the DE stainless razors, but they are expensive.
For the price of a good stainless razor I could buy several very good vintage razors.
Sorry for the rambling.

 

Looks good. Anyone have one????

 

Quite a few of them have a quality build, and a quality price tag. Other ones are stainless but not so high on the quality scale. The fact that new companies are making DE and SE razors is good for the wetshaving community but it is hard to beat an old razor made of brass and plated in nickel, rhodium, gold or silver...

 

I am with you 100%...you just can't beat a vintage Gillette. That kind of timeless quality is hard to beat. As much as I like the look of some of the stainless razors, I don't think I would order one...hence my OP -- what is the appeal of a stainless razor?

 

Well, to answer that is simple. Some people like the newest, and high tech things on the market. Money is no object. I'm convinced that for many, the more they pay for a razor, the more they think it shaves better. Vintage or Modern.

 

+ 1..

Billy..

 

I think It's all a matter of taste or what is ones idea of the perfect razor, Until recently, without much of using other than a Gillette DE razor since the 1960's, usually an adjustable, I don't see much of a difference in shave quality between my old Gillette's and my stainless, I can easily say that I get just a good of a shave with my Gillette Ball OC, Slim or Fatboy than I do with my Weber PH or ATT. Of coarse the stainless is easier to keep clean and a bit heavier but it all boils down to choice. Tomorrow morning, do I want to shave with something fairly new or the old one that I first started shaving with over 50 years ago

 

You can get Feather Pro for $14.90 x20, I get 8-10 shaves per-blade. For the quality of shave with my Mongoose it makes it pretty economical. Of course YMWV. Considering I use a DE blade twice its all the same.

 

Longevity and durability are big selling points.

 

It's all a personal preference, some people just want the latest trending razors and what is the newest. Some are not bothered the least by spending $300+ on a SS razor while others wouldn't spend over $25 on a razor.
I think think the big attraction of the SS razors is their looks, the idea they will last and can be handed down and how several of them shave so well... and another big thing that attracts people to wanting a SS razor is forums like this where people talk about how great the SS razors are ... i know myself, when i keep reading about the Wolfman razors it makes me want one.
And .... you have some people that just have RAD and like to collect razors LOL

 

While they are a bit pricey, the biggest draw to SS IMO is longevity and the fact that many are well made and give excellent shaves. They mimic vintage razors not only in looks, but durability also. While an EJ, Muhle , Maggard and Parker are all good razor's at affordable price's, the shave heads are made of inferior material IMO and won't stand the test of time like an all brass vintage razor or a modern SS. I happily used a SS Weber DLC razor for many years, just recently I've begun using a vintage Stahly Live Blade shave head with the Weber BullDog handle. The all brass Stahly gives an even better, smoother shave than the Weber and it has lasted and will continue to last a long, long time.