Expensive razor vs cheaper

Recently I have had the opportunity to purchase and shave with some relatively high end double edge razors, including Wolfman solid bar and open comb versions, a Paradigm II Titanium, and a Wolfman DLC. All are fine razors, but each has its own character and unique qualities; and I like all of them. In musing about whether or not they are worth their high prices to me, and in the context always of YMMV, I have had a general conclusion (reached previously through lots of experience using a large number of vintage and modern razors) reconfirmed: with the top-quality vintage blades I use - Wilkinson Light Brigades and Personna 74 Tungstens - these razors do not shave me any closer than less expensive ones, such as my Feather AS-D2 and RazoRock Mamba - although the expensive ones require me to do less touch-up - but the subjective quality of the shave is different. The Wolman and Paradigm razors require slightly less effort and a little more attention and caution, and they give me less auditory and tactile feedback.

For me it is somewhat like riding in an automobile. I can drive a Honda Civic to get to my destination, or theoretically I could drive a Rolls Royce to get there. Either way I will get to the same place in the end, but the ride differs quite a bit. Certainly the Honda costs less and gets much better mileage, but if I am not on a tight budget, is that really important? And the Rolls is fancy, with its amenities and plush comfort - but is it worth the cost? I guess for me the fact is that I enjoy having the chance to experience both "rides" and savor each for its own qualities, and I'm glad that I am not forced to choose one or the other exclusively. On one morning I can relish the simple efficiency of the Feather AS-D2 and "feel the road" more, while on another day I pamper myself and experience the luxury and fine craftmanship of a Wolfman, Paradigm, or Weber. In the end I get BBS shaves and have a really good time doing so - every single day.
 
Happy with all my razors, but I have never bothered running tests - shaving the same morning with two razors loaded with different blades, or two different razors with same blade, left side with A and right with B one morning and vice versa the next, to check if I can spot a difference.
 
churchilllafemme said:
For me it is somewhat like riding in an automobile. I can drive a Honda Civic to get to my destination, or theoretically I could drive a Rolls Royce to get there. Either way I will get to the same place in the end, but the ride differs quite a bit. Certainly the Honda costs less and gets much better mileage, but if I am not on a tight budget, is that really important? And the Rolls is fancy, with its amenities and plush comfort - but is it worth the cost? I guess for me the fact is that I enjoy having the chance to experience both "rides" and savor each for its own qualities, and I'm glad that I am not forced to choose one or the other exclusively. On one morning I can relish the simple efficiency of the Feather AS-D2 and "feel the road" more, while on another day I pamper myself and experience the luxury and fine craftmanship of a Wolfman, Paradigm, or Weber. In the end I get BBS shaves and have a really good time doing so - every single day.
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Emporer's new clothes comes to mind.
 
For me, DE shaving was/is just a dark long rabbit hole.

I started out with a Merkur 38C and a Jagger DE89. Paired with the right blade those gave more than sufficient shaves for me. Then comes the time you discover only one of the many many wet shaving forums out there, and all of the beautiful (and expensive) stuff that people have, and your inner demons tell you that such a Timeless or Wolfman doesn't only look better, but surely it must shave better than my 30 EUR Merkur?

It becomes a downward spiral from there on :D

Long story short: I have not gotten better shaves from a 250 EUR Timeless than from a 30 EUR Merkur/Jagger. Still, I admire the beauty of my razors and brushes sitting in their stand on my shelf.
 
Bandito said:
I have used a Merkur 34C for approximately 4 years. This year I bought a Rockwell 6S - hardly 'top of the range' given some of the prices of razors I've seen, but still significantly more expensive than the Merkur. For me, the 6S gives allows me to shave more frequently (daily), so to that end, yes, it gives me better shaves. However, I could've bought the 6C, which is far less expensive than the S.
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+1
 
I started shaving just as the "normal" DE and SE shaving world came to a slow and painful end, and all the new not-so-great shaving stuff was spawned and released upon the hapless shavers of the time. So, I see anything made after the early '70's as nothing more than very poor replacements for the "real" shaving stuff that our fathers and grandfathers shaved with.

So, I guess I'm lucky in a way, because all those expensive do-dads made of odd metals don't appeal to me in the least, even if they were ten bucks a pop they wouldn't turn my head.
 
TobyC said:
Sooner or later, you realize it's not the razor that matters. Any good razor, with any good blade, and anything reasonably slick on your face, will result in a great shave, if you know how. A ten dollar Gillette pre-war Tech, a few pennies for an Astra blade, and a buck and a half for a shave stick, and BBS happens.

Men have been shaving for a long, long, time,... only recently did fellas suddenly need "designer" gear just to shave their face. I can't wait for titanium toothbrushes and unicorn tears toothpaste!!!
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Pretty much my setup! I have to agree, keep it simple! Gear didn't make me a better shaver... Shaving did that!
 
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