Thread: Interesting Thought

I am a student of journalism with a sway toward magazines. I was wondering what you guys think of creating a niche magazine about straight razors and straight razor shaving.
There is actually a pretty open market for niche magazines and being a member of this site proves there is an audience.
So, what do you think?
Also-are there any writers on this forum?

Hi there!

Well... I'm a newbie and I must say it's a wonderful ideia. I think it just might be interesting to try out something like that. I supose there are not many magazines such as the one you are thinking about and it would, for sure, be helpful.

The existence of this site, as far as I'm concerned, is a tremendous breakthrough... And a magazine would be another one!

People (like all of us here) who shave with a straight razor can resort to the people who use and post on this site; we can ask questions and say our thought on the matter. And we can (newbies or not...) rest asure that our questions will be answered. Because we are recovering a lost art... Honestly... Who was the last person in your own family who shaved with a straight? And may I be blunt, friends, that person is
a) too old to give advide,
b) dead or
c) dead for such a long time that neither the eldest of us have met such a person...
The result is obvious... we have nobody to resort to; it's impossible to, from the bathroom, your face covered in blood and lather, cry out "Daddy!!!". I know that, if I did, my Dad would come along, faint and stay out cold for hours! And then he would buy me a Mach3...
Having said that, I say that this site is each and everyone of us's "Daddy!" If not... nevermind me... I am foolish and young!

So... returning to the main topic... yes! I think the magazine would be a terrific idea. It would be some sort of extension of the site, I guess. And I am quite sure that a lot of things could be written thinking both of newbies (eg. how to choose the first staight razor? which strop? how to and why? Introduction to wet shaving?...) and experienced users (eg. oil stones vs. water stones? how to restore a beat up razor?)... I don't know. But I am enthusiastic with the idea!

I say... go for it!

Since all the best knoweledge in this niche is already here for free. I would like to read a magazine and look at the pictures but I wouldn't pay for one.

Also there isn't a lot fo ongoing innovation in this field to report on. I bet Dovo has been using the same machines and dies for at least 80 years.

Doing a straight razor series as part of a knife magazine might make more sense. Appeal to an audience not already involved but one likely to be interested.

Point taken.
I will do some rummaging around and see what I come up with.
On the other side, though, if someone is enthusiastic enough about a topic, there is always something to be written. A rule of thumb.
Take a look, for instance at other niche magazines such as Civil War, or wood wittling.
Straight razor shaving is becoming increasingly popular with the rise of the "Go Green" mentality. I have half a dozen "green" friends who shave with straight razors just as a matter of principle.
Oh, and Sweeny Todd didn't hurt, either.

I think a niche magazine would be successful, but one specifically relating to straight razor shaving would not cover a large enough audience (yet) to be solvent.

If your proposed mag included wet-shaving (DE razors) and focused on it as a classy alternative to "big-box" razors it would have a better chance.

Sub-catagories could include str8 razoes, DEs, burshes and such but aproached as a hobby. There are a lot of hobby-based mags that do well; this one would need to showcase individuals creativity. This is similar to B&B site. I don't frequent B&B much, not because it is a bad site but because I am more interested in the topics here and prefer the feel of this site. From a commercial standpoint though, a B&B type magazine (meaning one that covers various types of wet-shaving and its associated items) would have broader apeal.

With all of that said, the point that the info is readily available and MUCH more interactive here (you can post a question and get an answer) on the web, makes a publication more challenging.

v/r

Allen

I think it stands a fighting chance as a niche publication, there are plenty of them out there already that seem to survive just fine. I saw one just the other day at borders that was all about military vehicles, there can't be that much more of a market for that than there is for luxury shaving products.

Chief