What's new
The Shaving Cadre

Welcome to The Shaving Cadre, a forum dedicated to gentlemanly discourse about wet shaving and other topics of common interests. Membership is always free so register today and join in the fun

Stirling 3 piece DEs

bobmsp said:
I’d be more concerned about the word of the US company that went behind your back and outsourced....
Click to expand...

I am somewhat concerned about that. However, after talking to the VP of the company, I don't think they would do that. That being said, I have started talking to them about just buying the razors from them at their cost so they aren't out the money and selling them at 50% off with the Made in the USA etching removed. That would remove any question of them selling the razors to someone else, and would negate some of the losses on both sides. It may not happen, but I've been trying to figure out a way to make this screwup a little less painful.
 
Joe Hackett said:
I am somewhat concerned about that. However, after talking to the VP of the company, I don't think they would do that. That being said, I have started talking to them about just buying the razors from them at their cost so they aren't out the money and selling them at 50% off with the Made in the USA etching removed. That would remove any question of them selling the razors to someone else, and would negate some of the losses on both sides. It may not happen, but I've been trying to figure out a way to make this screwup a little less painful.
Click to expand...
You should get them below cost to compensate you for the fact that you're depressing your market. That's 300 fewer buyers who will buy your razor at the full price. While I'm sure that your razor will be successful, I'd imagine that 300 buyers is still a significant hit to you. They should be sharing the pain rather than being made whole.

P.S @Joe Hackett - thanks for taking the high road with all of this.
 
If it were me I would write off the brief foray in the fickle DE/SE manuf. world and count myself lucky. Almost every artisan maker that was selling like hotcakes a few years ago is now either out of business or surely just getting by. I just cannot see the profit here in the long game.
 
bobmsp said:
You should get them below cost to compensate you for the fact that you're depressing your market. That's 300 fewer buyers who will buy your razor at the full price. While I'm sure that your razor will be successful, I'd imagine that 300 buyers is still a significant hit to you. They should be sharing the pain rather than being made whole.

P.S @Joe Hackett - thanks for taking the high road with all of this.
Click to expand...

I agree with Bob. Spoken like a true lawyer. Not to mention that if they didn’t tell you they were outsourcing a “Made in USA” razor to China, there are various tort (and likely contract) claims floating around.
 
Dave in KY said:
I'm patiently sitting tight and looking forward to this when it comes about. I know it will be RIGHT !
Click to expand...

I’m right with you Dave. I shaved with the prototype and it was a heck of a shaver so I imagine the final production version will be even better!
 
Dave in KY said:
I may not be able to swing the polished so maybe I'll get a chance to try one before he sells the unpolished. I HATE blind buys that pricey. It's why I'm on the fence about the Lupo even..........
Click to expand...

I agree! I ordered the Lupo blind. Used it once and sold it! I really didn’t like it at all and I’ll never buy another aluminum razor. Their just not for me.

The Stirling prototype has 2 baseplates. One was called the mild plate and the other was called hyper aggressive. The mild was not mild at all. About as efficient as a Timeless .95 and the Hyper Efficient was right there with the 2011 R41 and Ikon Tech although I didn’t do a side by side but I’m guessing by feel that’s where the two plates were at as far as efficiency goes. Now maybe the new one is going to be different and hopefully Rod will chime in at some point and bring us up to date on the future of the razor soon.
 
Dragonsbeard said:
I agree! I ordered the Lupo blind. Used it once and sold it! I really didn’t like it at all and I’ll never buy another aluminum razor. Their just not for me.

The Stirling prototype has 2 baseplates. One was called the mild plate and the other was called hyper aggressive. The mild was not mild at all. About as efficient as a Timeless .95 and the Hyper Efficient was right there with the 2011 R41 and Ikon Tech although I didn’t do a side by side but I’m guessing by feel that’s where the two plates were at as far as efficiency goes. Now maybe the new one is going to be different and hopefully Rod will chime in at some point and bring us up to date on the future of the razor soon.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I can't handle the lightness of aluminum razors. The SS is now available or was at Italian Barber.........$89

I'm guessing if anything I'd like the Mild then. I never tried the .95 Timeless but had a .68 OC one for quite awhile and got good shaves (y)
 
Dave in KY said:
Yeah, I can't handle the lightness of aluminum razors. The SS is now available or was at Italian Barber.........$89
Click to expand...

I don’t like to be negative but Razorock is one brand that I’ve never really connected to their razors. I had the Mamba, Lupo, the slant and the Gamechanger (which was the best of all of them for me but still was just ok.. for me they lacked what I call “ Mojo ‘ I know that might sound silly but for me a razor either has it or it doesn’t and I usually know it within taking a few strokes and it doesn’t matter if it’s a modern or vintage razor. High prices or low.

Sorry for the rant. 🙃
 
Dragonsbeard said:
I don’t like to be negative but Razorock is one brand that I’ve never really connected to their razors. I had the Mamba, Lupo, the slant and the Gamechanger (which was the best of all of them for me but still was just ok.. for me they lacked what I call “ Mojo ‘ I know that might sound silly but for me a razor either has it or it doesn’t and I usually know it within taking a few strokes and it doesn’t matter if it’s a modern or vintage razor. High prices or low.

Sorry for the rant. 🙃
Click to expand...
No worries and I get what your saying. The .84 GC gives me great shaves and that's Mojo enough for me 😂😉
 
I have to chime in here guys as I tried the Stirling prototype and the 2 base plates, according to Rod, were aggressive and hyperaggressive and were not likely to be used by first timers or beginners. Both were very smooth yet efficient tools similar to CGL2+ and CGL3+ and you can find my review on another site if interested.

Regarding the Italian Barber branded Razorock razors the Baby Smooth (in Titanium) was smooth but not very efficient (as advertised) and the Gamechangers were very smooth and, at their higher 0.84 gap, offered some decent efficiency. I found the Lupo (either Al or SS) very draggy and tugged my face regardless of the blade I tried. More importantly the Lupo as a blatant "copy" of Charcoal Goods Bishop handle and head configuration of a (standard) Wolfman (0.61 mm gap) I found more than a little unsettling. I can not continue to support an artisan than "rips off" another artisan. That coupled with the entirely adequate or average shave soaps from Razorock has lead me to find other better and IMO honest artisans. I guess each to their own.

Sorry for the rant but I will quietly wait for Rod's Sterling razor and in the meantime enjoy his shave soaps (Island Man & Coconut Lime are fantastic seasonal releases) and post shave AS/baums.
 
AJ, I understand your points and respect them. I'm no beginner (12 years in the game) and Rod's may not be for me either if they are that aggressive. They may be for a very small nitch market if even the milder plate is that aggressive. It gets to a point when it has nothing to do with technique. I only need to cut my beard at skin level, not below.
 
I’m hoping Rod chimes in with some updates on the SS.

Also @AJSharp sorry I called the milder of the two baseplates mild plate which isn’t correct as you were right he did call it the aggressive plate.
 
Last edited:
Again, there is no such thing as "efficient". A razor either cuts to your desired height or it doesn't. A 0.025" blade gap is approx. the "Goldilocks zone" for most normal humans.
 
I've been hesitant to give updates just simply because I'm really upset about how things have gone previously and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up again until I have them in hand and know they are perfect. Mandy is scheduled for a c- section on April 1, so I can say without hesitation that even if they are 100% ready, it'll be a few weeks after that before I release them as we'll be limiting our workload while she recovers.

We could likely set up a pass around of one of the polished versions in the meantime if there is interest.
 
Joe Hackett said:
I've been hesitant to give updates just simply because I'm really upset about how things have gone previously and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up again until I have them in hand and know they are perfect. Mandy is scheduled for a c- section on April 1, so I can say without hesitation that even if they are 100% ready, it'll be a few weeks after that before I release them as we'll be limiting our workload while she recovers.

We could likely set up a pass around of one of the polished versions in the meantime if there is interest.
Click to expand...
Rod @Joe Hackett that would be great and help me know if it's a fit for me or not.

Hoping all goes well with delivery and recovery 👍
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top