When would you back a razor Kickstarter?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by John Ruschmeyer, Mar 7, 2016.

  1. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    The Phi Razor thread got me wondering about something...

    There have been a number of successful razor Kickstarters, some of which have been backed by members of this community (Blackland Blackbird, Single Edge, Rockwell, etc.) and others of which we have been skeptical. So, I'm curious, what is it about a particular Kickstarter that made you want to back it?

    JR
     
  2. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    I backed the Rockwell Razor. The first razor I received from them, had issues(according to other people) I had no issues with the razor it's self the Presentation Box was bent, the razor head was not polished as well as it could have been.
    I got an e-mail from the maker of the Rockwell Razor. They sent me two new Rockwell S6 Razors. So now I have 4 of them. The first two Rockwell Razors I got were okay. I had no proble shaving with them. I have not unwrapped the two new replacement Razors. I would back them again.
     
    blashe likes this.
  3. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Transparency.

    When you crowd fund something, you must be crystal clear to the consumer at every step. It comes down to trust, because there is no guarantee that a crowdfunded project will have any results.

    I backed the Blackbird, because it was something I had not seen in this market before. It really was something completely different from any other three piece razor out there. Luckily, it also shaves very, very well.

    The first one I received had a damaged handle, which @ShaneS replaced before I sent the damaged handle back to him. That kind of commitment to a product really does shine through, and it's inspiring.

    Rockwell got off to a rough start, and I had dismissed them as a company, but they have really gone above and beyond what could be reasonably expected of them from a customer service perspective. Their commitment to their customers is unmatched by any company I've ever seen, period.

    I blame @Darkbulb for my initial interest in the Blackland Blackbird. He is a consummate salesman. Anyone who has a good razor design and a hankering for crowdfunding, ought to send him their prototypes. If it's a good razor, he will sell it for you. ;)
     
    twhite, MattCB, RaZorBurn123 and 3 others like this.
  4. Darkbulb

    Darkbulb Cookie Hoarder

    I also do vintage refrigerators and very small stools.
     
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  5. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    You are going to be absolutely swamped with stool samples.
    [​IMG]
     
  6. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    :happy097::rofl:
     
  7. Omaney

    Omaney Well-Known Member

    The terror of the typo...

    I backed the initial Kickstart of the Blackbird but never got back to the subsequent iteration. No reason, just didn't.
     
  8. MattCB

    MattCB Well-Known Member

    A few things for me. 1) A clear product description going over what makes the product unique and what the kickstarter offers you. 2) Reward tiers that make sense 3) Being completely upfront on the status of the project.

    I thought Shane had shot himself in the foot when he cancelled the original kickstarter to get new production prices and re start the kickstarter later. Thankfully he had a great idea with his website having an email list and newsletter and he was able to retain most of his backers.
     
  9. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    I haven't backed a kickstarter yet. I was late to the table finding out about Blackland (too much time spent on B and B), but pre - ordered very soon after the Kickstarter ended. When I first heard about Rockwell (prior to Blackland, sorry), it was the first time I had ever really heard about crowd funding, other than as a term in passing. So I interestedly watched the unveiling, the disaster, etc... We all know the story. I wanted it to work, but figured that after the kickoff, it was going to be dead in the water. I ribbed on it, never assumed the faithful were ever going to get anything more than a paperweight. Boy was I wrong, and after seeing the dedication of the designer, and the end result, I now own two of the new ones.

    But both of these brought something new to the table. @ShaneS had a totally new look, and what turned out to be a shaver that was completely unique in its feel and performance. Rockwell managed to bring durable SS, with a choice of aggressiveness, at a price anyone can afford.

    I guess my answer is, from my experience with two Kickstarter backed projects is: I think that if I really am keen on the idea, believe in the creator, I would go after it if it was within my disposable income levels.

    Shane, who by every account, pulled his project off flawlessly, and Gareth, who despite an utter abortion of a rollout, kept at it to make his pan out; both kept in constant transparent contact. The Phi? Kickstarter bellyflops within hours, a Facebook page and website that aren't up to speed/not being updated, and he pops up yesterday to tell us exciting new things are coming, but he can't talk about them. Then uhm, [snore]. I don't mean to pile up, but it isn't just my thinking that the vibrating disco light, rave handle isn't a winner, it is the marketing. Has anyone been to their web sites? The picture is of a shaving dude, nursing a cut with a bandage. I guess I understand his point (I think), but the first thought through my head, no kidding, was "What. Did he vibrate a hole through his cheek?"

    Sorry I went long, but I just think you have to have a gut feeling in order to back.
     
    MattCB likes this.
  10. Knox

    Knox Well-Known Member

    I suppose I would consider backing a razor kickstarter if the price was right. The Blackbird is a work of art, but out of the price range I would pay. I have multiple Kronas, Super Speeds, and Techs for what I would have spent on 1 Blackbird. That's not taking anything away from that razor, nor from those who own one. I love capitalism. Its the same reason I don't own a Feather Stainless Steel - the Popular works splendidly for a fraction of the cost.
     
    ShaneS likes this.
  11. ShaneS

    ShaneS Well-Known Member

    Supporting Vendor
    My Kickstarter experience certainly wasn't flawless(one failed campaign due to stupid pricing), but by and large people seem to appreciate honest and realistic campaigns even if there are problems. That's what I look for in campaigns and what I tried to bring to mine. I don't like hyperbole and I also hate campaigns that clearly have the money to fund their projects, but are using the platform for advertising. Of course, that isn't just for razor projects; it applies to all Kickstarter in general for me.
     
    MattCB, PickledNorthern and twhite like this.
  12. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Yeah, I did forget about the first go round; TBH, I didn't even know about it until much after I had already pre-ordered. Still have to give you an A++ for the level of contact you had with everyone, on multiple forums. It gave everyone a positive feeling, not even as much about your product, but about you. It all comes back to having a gut feeling.
     
    MattCB likes this.

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