Thread: eBay Prices?

Yes I believe that there are many new people trying the straights and the company's that make them can't keep up. I also believe that for the most part the straights on eBay are the last of the vintage razors and old shavers and new shavers alike want them. so the price keeps going up. I really don't know when it will level off but I see one on the bay now for almost 200.00 us and still time left to bid. it is nice but my face couldn't tell the difference. I get nicked whether it's a 2.00 dollar razor or 200.00 dollar. maybe the 200.00 dollar one wont give me lock jaw.

Originally Posted by rhensley

maybe the 200.00 dollar one wont give me lock jaw.

Probably not, but you can bet your bottom dollar it gives lockjaw to my wallet.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Probably not, but you can bet your bottom dollar it gives lockjaw to my wallet.

I just looked at the Wade and butcher on the bay and so far it is 199.00. my wife locked up my wallet. that's bad enough but a few weeks back there was one that went for 1125.00 and when I saw that I almost had to have cpr.

I just finished selling off a bunch of razors on Eboy and I reject the notion prices have gone up in general. As a matter of fact prices have gone down, way down. If you have one of the "hot" brands yes they have gone up but for a typical piece it's the opposite. With just about every razor I sold I got less than when I bought them over 10 years ago. Most folks these days want a razor not in the best of shape and want to spend like thirty bucks or less for a razor.

When I started in this the razors that were fetching high prices were those considered to be the top quality pieces and brands. Many of those brands have fallen by the wayside. An example? Take Puma. 15 years ago you couldn't touch any puma no matter the condition for less than $200. A top of the line Puma Gold in mint condition would break the bank. Prices on these have basically been cut in half.

All these wedges like the W&Bs that are fetching high prices you couldn't give away 15 years ago. The market has turned into a hype driven affair.

Just my observation.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I just finished selling off a bunch of razors on Eboy and I reject the notion prices have gone up in general. As a matter of fact prices have gone down, way down. If you have one of the "hot" brands yes they have gone up but for a typical piece it's the opposite. With just about every razor I sold I got less than when I bought them over 10 years ago. Most folks these days want a razor not in the best of shape and want to spend like thirty bucks or less for a razor.

When I started in this the razors that were fetching high prices were those considered to be the top quality pieces and brands. Many of those brands have fallen by the wayside. An example? Take Puma. 15 years ago you couldn't touch any puma no matter the condition for less than $200. A top of the line Puma Gold in mint condition would break the bank. Prices on these have basically been cut in half.

All these wedges like the W&Bs that are fetching high prices you couldn't give away 15 years ago. The market has turned into a hype driven affair.

Just my observation.

See what you're saying. When I started, last year all the rage was, and still is around the Double Ducks, one of those in good to great condition will fetch higher than a lot of the old Sheffield blades, and I guess here's where personal preference comes in, and I find them not particularly outstanding. To see DD's go for $300 and above is the norm for a half decent razor.

I agree about the Puma's, been hunting for an 7/8 or larger. Ed wustoff are another maker I like, along with the Filly's and Friodor, Henkels and many others...just seems flavours change and different blades make it to the hit parade at different times.

But yes, trends always influence market conditions.

Originally Posted by rhensley

Yes I believe that there are many new people trying the straights and the company's that make them can't keep up. I also believe that for the most part the straights on eBay are the last of the vintage razors and old shavers and new shavers alike want them. so the price keeps going up. I really don't know when it will level off but I see one on the bay now for almost 200.00 us and still time left to bid. it is nice but my face couldn't tell the difference. I get nicked whether it's a 2.00 dollar razor or 200.00 dollar. maybe the 200.00 dollar one wont give me lock jaw.

The prices will keep going up on these beautiful vintage razors until there's none left. Already you see, even in my year of buying, prices doubling and tripling for less and less quality blades. The thing with the vintage blades is they don't make them anymore, and in most cases they haven't been made for over one hundred years.

Eventually the new makers will catch up and there will be lots to choose from again, but the old vintage blades will become rarer and rarer.

Notice that on a world wide forum like eBay, pretty much the entire straight razor community will notice when a sought after blade comes up. And when they do, with the occasional exception, go for very high prices.

Originally Posted by Phrank

The prices will keep going up on these beautiful vintage razors until there's none left. Already you see, even in my year of buying, prices doubling and tripling for less and less quality blades. The thing with the vintage blades is they don't make them anymore, and in most cases they haven't been made for over one hundred years.

Eventually the new makers will catch up and there will be lots to choose from again, but the old vintage blades will become rarer and rarer.

Notice that on a world wide forum like eBay, pretty much the entire straight razor community will notice when a sought after blade comes up. And when they do, with the occasional exception, go for very high prices.

Every "keeper" you've got will be for sale again someday ........ whether it is by you, or the person handling the estate. We're just custodians of this stuff.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Every "keeper" you've got will be for sale again someday ........ whether it is by you, or the person handling the estate. We're just custodians of this stuff.

I've often thought how many different lives the vintage razors I own have touched, and whose lives they may touch in the future.

If I had one wish for the blades I currently own, is just that they were never trashed. That they ended up appreciated and valued by someone, and of course brought some joy and happiness in having and using something with such a rich history.

Originally Posted by Phrank

I've often thought how many different lives the vintage razors I own have touched, and whose lives they may touch in the future.

If I had one wish for the blades I currently own, is just that they were never trashed. That they ended up appreciated and valued by someone, and of course brought some joy and happiness in having and using something with such a rich history.

I'll appreciate them Phrank, hint, hint...

I promise I won't practice honing on them.

Dunno, I just bought a razor on ebay at something like 20% discount compared to retail - supposedly unused and the pictures were good and it looked nice. It was on the high end of the scale though, the old beaten up razors may well be a fair bit more expensive than they used to be recently.

I think I've been at this for six and a half years and the prices have been generally going up. Back in 2007 the entry level Dovo was $50 honed by Lynn, ebay specials were in the $10-$15 range ($5 if you'd get a lot of 15-20 which were fairly popular back then), filarmonicas were around $100, the big w&b probably $50-$70 (I never cared much for them so don't remember exactly).
With standard inflation the current prices should be 20% higher, but they are much higher than that, so that's demand outpacing the supply. It's not in all segments though - I think it's most pronounced at the low end (when I was first looking you could have a lightly cleaned up and honed vintage razor in good condition for $15-$25) and the high end (the custom razors now seem to be about twice what custom razors used to be, and now there is a lot more variety).