My feelings about "holy grail", "forever razors", "stainless steel wonders"

Steve Bowles

Steve Bowles

Joined
Sunday January 17, 2016
Location
St Leonards, Dorset
I have come to the conclusion that I will not longer wait with bated breath for a BBS-1, Wolfman, Timeless, or any other stainless steel "gift of the gods" razor. It seems that an announcement about these wonderful, must-have, sell your first-born to acquire wonders are followed by an endless waiting list, which more often than not is closed, to get your hands on a razor that is manufactured by some guy in his garage who is putting out six a year.

The demand for these razors is beyond any semblance of reality; not just for one, but for all of them. Stainless steel razors have become the iPhones of the current generation of wet shavers. If they were sold in shops, people would be lining around the block and queueing at 3:00 am to get their foot in the door.

Would I be one of them? Probably, but reality dictates that only a very few of us are ever going to get their hands on one in the next ten years, and at my age, I think the odds have passed me by.

I will content myself with a 6s, and ask the gods to afflict those who do receive their gifts with poxes and boils. You have been warned @Darkbulb.
 
Steve Bowles said:
I have come to the conclusion that I will not longer wait with bated breath for a BBS-1, Wolfman, Timeless, or any other stainless steel "gift of the gods" razor. It seems that an announcement about these wonderful, must-have, sell your first-born to acquire wonders are followed by an endless waiting list, which more often than not is closed, to get your hands on a razor that is manufactured by some guy in his garage who is putting out six a year.

The demand for these razors is beyond any semblance of reality; not just for one, but for all of them. Stainless steel razors have become the iPhones of the current generation of wet shavers. If they were sold in shops, people would be lining around the block and queueing at 3:00 am to get their foot in the door.

Would I be one of them? Probably, but reality dictates that only a very few of us are ever going to get their hands on one in the next ten years, and at my age, I think the odds have passed me by.

I will content myself with a 6s, and ask the gods to afflict those who do receive their gifts with poxes and boils. You have been warned @Darkbulb.
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Nothing wrong with the 6s - it's a great razor :)
For me, after using probably 150+ DE razors the BBS-1 ended up being the RAD killer. I hope everyone can get to that point regardless of what razor they end up with.
 
Darkbulb said:
Nothing wrong with the 6s - it's a great razor :)
For me, after using probably 150+ DE razors the BBS-1 ended up being the RAD killer. I hope everyone can get to that point regardless of what razor they end up with.
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The problem is that your reviews of these razors just stoke the fires of our RAD. I'm sure I'm not alone.
 
I guess that for those with that bent of mind if it wasn't razors it may be something else Steve. Exotic biodynamic carnauba waxes to afford that deep, wet desireable sheen on your specially tracked down and lovingly restored semi classic car or bike, the latest moroccan youth enhancing oils with which to annoint the jowls at the exact ( carefully worked out with a personalised algorithymn ) biorythmic moment of the day to rejuvenate your primal dermal layers etc. There are worse, and more expensive, objects of desire out there. Enjoy the kit you have or enjoy the search for better ( hopefully affordable ) items, whatever scratches where you itch.

To quote one of my very favourite philosophers, Hot Penny of Big Bang, " The heart wanrs what the heart wants. ".

JohnnyO. o/
 
I'll buy a 'new' razor once my stock of vintage Techs has worn out. That should be in about 300 or so years (and before I even get started on the TTOs). But don't let that stop you buying and enjoying what you darn well pleas-y.
 
Wouldn't bother yourself about not getting one Steve.
Out of the three you mention the Wolfman was my favourite but I sold it on, just like the BBS-1 and Timeless. Non of them performed any better than my H-2, #15, #77, Canadian Tech and Wilko Hydro 5. :)
 
Dobbo25 said:
Wouldn't bother yourself about not getting one Steve.
Out of the three you mention the Wolfman was my favourite but I sold it on, just like the BBS-1 and Timeless. Non of them performed any better than my H-2, #15, #77, Canadian Tech and Wilko Hydro 5. :)
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I kept buying razors even though I'd bought the Merkur 39c and used it 19 out of 20 times. I know that the 6s (if I buy it) will get relegated to "weak sister". I don't know what drives this insanity!
 
Steve Bowles said:
I kept buying razors even though I'd bought the Merkur 39c and used it 19 out of 20 times. I know that the 6s (if I buy it) will get relegated to "weak sister". I don't know what drives this insanity!
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What drives you is "Is this razor going to be the best thing I've ever shaved with" and the answer is no.
They all shave well but.... they all have their slight differences. Whereas one might get you a 95% BBS or DFS there'll be one area you struggle with. Another razor might give you a 95% BBS or DFS but the area you struggle with will be in a different spot :)
I four pass shave with whatever razor I'm using plus a bit of buffing with the milder razors.

Whether its a £300 unobtainable piece of metal that won't rust, a Tech for £20 or a £150 Tech (Feather) The results are pretty much the same, albeit one will shave closer and smoother and you'll find out its most probably the cheaper option.:D

Its all about, ooooh look at me I've got this super duper stainless shite and this Titanium bollocks ( and yes they are lighter in the sack):D At the end of the day its all snobbery on a grand scale. Just because some people can afford high end stuff, do they really need to flaunt it in the faces of people who can't?
Owners Clubs for owning a type of razor or brush? FFS.:D
 
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I agree that forums fuel the need for these pieces of unobtainium. Lets be honest though. To even get on to a shaving forum in the first place you have to be pretty weird. I mean that in a nice way. The few people who frequent these forums (and out of the male population of the planet who shave we are a minuscule percentage) are interested in more than just shaving. Owning the Razors, Blades, Brushes, Soaps and everything else is a hobby and like the people on Classic Car forums, Fishing forums, Golf forums and all the other male interest forums spending is the main part of having a hobby. This leads the discussions on the forums. The main part being, Look what I bought and what do you think about it? I have Golfed, Fished and had numerous other hobbies in the past and believe me if you have done the same every new Driver, Rod or Guitar has to be discussed in minute detail with like minded blokes. It is part of the fun of owning them.
Without the forums and their members shaving would just be as tedious a pastime for us as it is for virtually every other man on the planet.
So we need to chase and covet these pieces of steel, be they stainless or pot metal. It makes life just a little more bearable for us fella's. So get yer wallet open, post your pictures and get yapping.....It's all part of the fun.
 
Most of us want at least to try these things for ourselves. Are they always as fantastic as people write about? No, for instance the BBS-1 has left the house. I tried and tried again but found it to be nothing really special for me, to much attention needed to find the correct shaving angle.
 
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