The Demise of ikon?

[Digimonkey]

The following was extracted from the shaving blog of Michael Ham aka Leisureguy - https://leisureguy.wordpress.com/category/shaving/

'iKon is right now selling their razors at a steep discount. I have no idea of the motivation, but my fear is that it is a matter of clearing out stock prior to discontinuing production: he’s been making razors for a good while, and retirement might be appealing. (FWIW, Krampert’s Finest have closed their virtual doors and discontinued production. Their Acadian Spice Bay Rum is my favorite, and some vendors still have stock. I highly recommend picking up a bottle before they’re gone.)

I have to say I cannot recommend the iKon Short Comb, though. It’s always been a problematic razor for me. With Grooming Dept pre-shave, it works well, but it still comes up short in the comfort department. However, I do highly recommend the following, shown on this page (and note that you can also buy the head alone, both from iKon and from dealers such as Maggard Razors):

• X3 Slant on bulldog handle
• B1 OSS
• B1 Standard
• B1 Open Comb
• B1 Slant

And if you ever find a 101, buy it. It’s shown as out of stock on that page, and the wonderful 102 is not even listed.'

It is indeed the case that pretty much everything on their site is heavily discounted -

iKon Razors Archives - iKon Razors

www.ikonrazors.com

The official British stockist Connaught have none at all.

Anybody know anything about this? - I.

 

[wooky114]

A bit like Above The Tie, they seem to have out of favour with the masses; I've the X3 and 102 and both shave really well

 

[Jester]

A bit like Above The Tie, they seem to have out of favour with the masses; I've the X3 and 102 and both shave really well

Could the ATT change in appreciation be down to moving production from the US to China though? I mean, we're not talking Chinese "homages" here like my Futur clone - ATT have moved their own production but kept top whack prices.

 

[RussellR5555]

They always do tend to discount a bit , those prices don't look that heavily discounted. My experience of Ikon is great razors , zero customer service.

 

[Scorpio93]

I got ikon b1 slant oss , and love that little razor. Still got one more on the wish list - ikon tek.
Interesting . I wonder whether compared to the amount of all the people using safety razors, there isn’t just too many people creating the razors that the market tends to be too much of competition for them?

 

[karlc]

I remember, back when I started wet shaving, iKon were the bees knees and there was a lot of talk about them and SOTD photos with them in.

Now...rarely hear anything about them anymore.

 

[Boycie83]

Could the ATT change in appreciation be down to moving production from the US to China though? I mean, we're not talking Chinese "homages" here like my Futur clone - ATT have moved their own production but kept top whack prices.

As an ATT fanboy, I must challenge this statement:

• Only the Windsor Pro range will be made in China.
• I have the SB90 Windsor Pro. It's sublimely finished. Cost me less than £80 delivered from the US - that's not a top whack price, that's very well priced.
• The Windsor range will continue to be manufactured in the USA although with some new plates superseding the originals that sit between M-R and R-H respectively. The Classic range is being discontinued.
• The ATT X1 (AC SE Slant) is manufactured in the USA.

Apologies for derailing the thread.

 

[Paul L]

I've only owned two Ikon razors, 101 &102

I deeply regret selling my 102, it shaved like no ther DE I've used.
I sold it in a cull to trade up to my first Timeless.
I've recently seen on on the BST, and have resisted based on my always move forward ethos.

 

[Jester]

As an ATT fanboy, I must challenge this statement:

• Only the Windsor Pro range will be made in China.
• I have the SB90 Windsor Pro. It's sublimely finished. Cost me less than £80 delivered from the US - that's not a top whack price, that's very well priced.
• The Windsor range will continue to be manufactured in the USA although with some new plates superseding the originals that sit between M-R and R-H respectively. The Classic range is being discontinued.
• The ATT X1 (AC SE Slant) is manufactured in the USA.

Apologies for derailing the thread.

Thanks for clarifying, Chris. I obviously only picked up part of the story when the issue popped up on here earlier in the year!

 

[Boycie83]

Thanks for clarifying, Chris. I obviously only picked up part of the story when the issue popped up on here earlier in the year!

No problem chap. It's worth having the occasional glance at the ATT returns section. You can get some great bargains there. They still make fantastic razors even if they're not considered as trendy in our internet community.

 

[Ferrum]

I'm a fan of Ikon/Shavecraft razors, from the original stainless slant that needs much fiddling to align the blade, through to the more recent aluminium offerings, especially the humpback razor. However, one of only two razors that I've ever sold was the Ikon Tek, which makes the new Muhle R41GS look like a pussycat, rather than a tiger.

I seem to recall that Ikon products were often rather sporadic in supply, and that originally they had to be bought from the States, in absence of a UK supplier. Looking at the website, it seems that the stock/supply position hasn't markedly changed, although there still appear to be a number of razors, heads and handles available, albeit discounted.

I have no idea where they are now made, whether in Asia or the USA, but like a lot of razors/makes, they do seem to be somewhat less popular than they were. I guess this has a bit to do with many more newer makes achieving a prominence and nudging older ones aside.

 

[MrK1]

They always do tend to discount a bit , those prices don't look that heavily discounted. My experience of Ikon is great razors , zero customer service.

+1 on the customer service

 

[Satanfriendly]

However, one of only two razors that I've ever sold was the Ikon Tek, which makes the new Muhle R41GS look like a pussycat, rather than a tiger.

Oh absolutely. The tek. One vicious piece of face metal. Passed mine one and bought their rare SE. And found out it was just a larger version with even more nastiness.

The B1 is a blinder of a razor and despite my love for SE's I still haven't met anything which shaves closer. Mine has a chrome cap which makes one hell of a differences over the standard black issue.

If they did disappear it would be sad but at least I know thanks to Ikon I can have a lifetime of perfect shaves.

 

[Digimonkey]

Still got one more on the wish list - ikon tek.

I salute your bravery - as others have said - this is a vicious bastard of a razor - I can happily use a Cobra - but the ikon tek is way beyond that - I moved mine on - there might be easier ways to accidentally hack your nose off - but not many. I trust you are not haemophiliac? - I.

 

[Scorpio93]

I salute your bravery - as others have said - this is a vicious bastard of a razor - I can happily use a Cobra - but the ikon tek is way beyond that - I moved mine on - there might be easier ways to accidentally hack your nose off - but not many. I trust you are not haemophiliac? - I.

Haha thank you! As far as I know I’m not a haemophiliac, but I definitely do enjoy a challenge ! Might turn out it’s not for me too and it’ll get moved... but we shall see haha

 

[Manstein]

This talk of Ikon sent me down to the vaults. I must have bought these at least 10 years ago probably from ES. I'm not sure which Ikon models they are but as stated they're to be treated with caution especially the slant.