Thread: 24 hours to go...

Looks like your pricing is close so far, Josh. you might want to sell another on a Friday Night or Saturday. Those are busier times. Those in the market for a new hand forged razor aren't necessarily looking on eBay usually. Just some things to consider. Congrats on the sale and the purchase!

X

And you may also want to list it under:

Collectibles > Vanity, Perfume & Shaving > Shaving > Straight Razors

Well it's mine now! The final price was 179.50. That is quite a deal. Sorry about the snipe, I figured other people were sniping so I figured I may as well.

I didn't bid on this razor (lack of funds, etc) but watched it with great interest. Beautiful creation, Josh. I have to say one of the reasons I watched it was out of curiosity. We all know Ebay is a funny place sometimes with no rhyme or reason to why things sell or don't sell for what they do.

My experience in watching Ebay has been that generally, it seems those that make up the interested parties in shaving related items across the globe are less interested in custom work, or even modified originals for that matter (rescaled vintage blades in custom scales). That's too bad. That tells me there are a whopping number of straight collectors that would probably not even think about actually shaving with straight razors like we all do and those people unfortunately could give a rip about a great custom. I think Josh's razor was worth much more than it went for. I'm sure he put a ton of time into making it, not only the actual time specific to this razor, but the countless hours in his self taught artistry.

Straight collectors (I'm referring to those that simply collect them and do not use them in any way); Ritchie and Stewart? Dewey Whited and the others featured in Ritchie & Stewart's book. Are they members of SRP or B&B? I've never heard that they were. I'll preface what I'm about to say with a preemptive disclaimer: To each there own, and if people want to collect anything which has a use but choose not to use it, I'm not king of the world....go ahead and knock yourself out.

That being said, I'm going to be honest to you all, my buddies here: I can't help but say the idea of someone who merely collects but does not use straight razors sticks in my craw. I won't say that I don't have respect for such a person (see disclaimer), it's just too bad. I think of it this way, if I were to collect some sort of usable "vintage" woodworking tool, planes for instance, and would never even think of using them, but would instead just display them on a shelf, I would think woodworkers that would use those same planes and make them perform superbly would tsk tsk, scoff, jeer or at least feel it was a shame that those beautiful and fully functional tools were never going to be used again for their intended purpose. Here's my point: I think they'd have a valid opinion as I think do I.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just venting because I think Josh's work is worth more; but I'm happy for Matt who did buy it as well and rightly acknowledged that he got a great deal. I'm sure he'll love that razor!

I know in some other discussion regarding the "true value" of a razor I recall someone saying they believed that Ebay IS the real time benchmark evaluator of what the true value of a razor is (I disagree given the auction fever phenomenon skewing things). Thinking about Josh's razor solidifies my feelings even more in relation to the facet of customs. IMO Ebay is definitely NOT the benchmark to use for custom valuations. It's not. Josh and the others are not making art pieces like some of those off the wall and in many cases ridiculous knives that are the furthest thing from functional but not meant to be, they're making razors that are meant to SHAVE superbly. Therein lies the crux of my beef. A 100% collector may know tons about vintage razor history, aesthetics, etc but wouldn't know jack squatsky about how a razor shaves; and, without that knowledge or willingness to find out, they'd undervalue such a razor big time.

So....Josh, don't feel bad about charging what YOU think your razors are worth. There, I'm done ranting for sure now, I promise.

Chris L

I completely agree Chris L. I get upset at the fact that most of the razors i loose that im bidding on in Ebay end up in the hands of someone who will put it in a glass box and let it sit there. But i also see that they are getting pleasure from looking at it and i cant blame them for it, (even if i want them to at least try shaving with it...)

That is the dilemma when you collect something that is meant to be used. Same with vintage cars, and the like. Everytime you use it, it depreciates in value.

Just to play devil's advocate, where do you draw the line at a razor's value being "wasted" by its non-use? Is using it once a year, and keeping it under glass for 364 days that much better? How about 4 x a year? Really, if you think about it, people really shaved with only one or two razors, maybe a seven day set at most, back in the day. I think most of us have much more than that.

Personally, I seem to get closer shaves with ugly razors.