Thread: What to do now

Hi Guys,
I'm really in love with PUMA because it was the first straight I got as a gift, so I bidded and won this: http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=160115996474

Really happy I waited and it came very quickly, but with many surprises... it had been too easy:

- The blade has been honed in the part near the tang, maybe to eliminate some serious chip or nick (see pic 1) and now the edge is not linear.

- The scales, that I like very much, are PUMA but not for this blade, because the razor can't close completely and the bade stops near the scales because they're smaller (pics 2-3).

- Yet, as smaller problem, there's a lot of rust on the tang near the pin and the scales are a bit consumed in the same point.

The case isn't PUMA but in any case it's useful.

I wrote to the seller, explaining the situation, but you more experienced bidders what would do now (please tell me what you REALLY would do, not "PRETEND THE REFUND" or "BAN THE SELLER" while you would stay silent and repair by yourself or similar verbal-only extremisms).
I could maybe pretend a complete or partial refund, or keep the razor and try to re-dimension the blade and re-hone it (sending to Lynn or other serious honemaster) or I could trow it in the garbage and keep only the scales for a future....

Damn!

All the Best

The honing wear at the heel and the rust near the pivot are both clearly visible in the photo, so I think you're out of luck on those issues. The scales may well be original to the razor - I've seen this "scales too small for the blade" issue enough that I suspect that celluloid isn't as dimensionally stable as we would wish.

Just to know, are you referring to the ebay photo? the ones I posted I did myself after I got it.

yes, I was referring to the ebay photo

yup, my first reaction was "that's a weird shape edge" and then "someone has messed it up"

The rust - it is visible if you know it, but maybe could pass for some weird lighting

Anyway, to answer your original question: I would want to return the razor to the seller for a full refund. But I would not have bid on it to begin with... If the razor was sold "as is" - you can't really blame the seller as the condition, as Michael pointed, is visible in the photos.

Others may well prefer a partial refund - the heel isn't that critical, rust around pivot can be cleaned, etc. The razor may well be very usable and a great shaver even as is (is it worth the $ is another story - but this is subjective again)

Cheers
Ivo

Don't throw it in the trash.

Well, send it to me and I'll take care of it for you. I'll even pay shipping...

*only partially joking*

J.

How did it shave?

The seller answered quickly and proposed full refund (less shipping costs obvliously).
He seems unaware of the problem and told me he's not an expert so the description and picture were not made to hide problems. Considering the way he wrote I trust him, seems sincere.
I decided to keep the razor and try to find someone to restore it (cutting the blade to reduce lenght? transforming into a 4/8 to make the edge parallel to spine?).
Next time I'll look with super-sharp eys to pictures and I'll ask stupid questions like "Will the razor close?".

Now I tranfer this post to "Restoration" section. Thank you for your hints. If one has proposal on how to restore it please tell me.

PS: I've to clean before using it, so didn't try shaving yet, but it seems to be really sharp and nearly passed the HHT.

All the Best

I can all but guarantee that it is not shave ready even if it feels sharp to you. Almost passing the HHT is not something to be happy about in general.