Thread: That sad day when ...

I've had good luck finding razors and vintage shaving/honing gear around here, but the hunting is always best when I put in tons of leg work. It's about increasing the odds so, when I'm in hunting mode, I go far, wide and often and shoot for finding something in about 1 out of 4 or 5 tries. Talking to the dealers is key. Making connections.

I sometimes find razors in a case at an antiques store and buy them after a bit a haggling with the store owner. But I want to get to know the dealers who are stocking the cases. If I keep going back until I meet the dealer who's case that is, talk to him or her, I find they usually have many other razors and shaving items they didn't put in there. That's the stuff I want to get at, the box that's in the garage or barn somewhere, the stuff that doesn't have a price tag on it yet.

The antiques store becomes just the meeting place (and occasional buying place), and only really shows the tip of the real inventory. Most of these dealers have so much stuff piled into garages and basements that they'll never be able cycle it all through their display case, it never even makes it through the front door of the store. But, if they know they have an interested and willing buyer, they will feel more motivated to dig through the piles and find what they know they have buried somewhere. However, it slows down in the winter months. But when spring comes its full on.

Listen to the man! He has the right of it!
~Richard

Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

If I keep going back until I meet the dealer who's case that is, talk to him or her, I find they usually have many other razors and shaving items they didn't put in there. That's the stuff I want to get at, the box that's in the garage or barn somewhere, the stuff that doesn't have a price tag on it yet.

Excellent point. Ive had a few vendors start bringing in more shaving stuff after i mentioned interest and made a few purchases.

With limited shelf space, they don't always display everything they have.