Thread: eBay 101

Originally Posted by AirColorado

Here's another example of heat damage that's not visible until one gets the blade and can look at it sunlight. Of course the photos in the auction did not show anything like this so the buyer has no idea what is there until he ca see it in sunlight. The seller doesn't SEEM to be familiar with razors but who knows.

I picked up what seemed to be a nice C-Mon that I received last night. Initially it appeared pretty good and I looked at it with an eye to what I needed to do to get it back to original condition. The pictures in the auction seemed to match what was in my hand so I left positive feedback. This morning as I prepared to head out to my shop and give it a quick hone, I noticed in the sunlight that it had very obvious rainbows. Uh oh.. While not obvious in artificial light, in sunlight I can see rainbow coloring from purple to straw on both sides of the bevel and on one side it extends up to the spine. Bummer!!!!

Looks to me like someone went to town with a grinder/buffer using cotton or sisal and kept the blade there for a loooong time trying to remove something. There's no recent indication of any grinding so I'm thinking it was an overzealous buffer.

So this is a $50 letter opener if the seller refuses to refund. Just a heads up for those using eBay that even if the pictures don't show heat damage, look at the blade in sunlight to check for it before leaving positive feedback. In this case I wish I'd asked the seller directly if there was any hint of heat damage or "rainbow coloring". I will always ask if there is a visible crack in the blade if the pix are blurry or dim but rarely think to ask about heat damage.

Have you at least tried honing it yet? That looks to me a lot like room temp oxidation (you tend to see those colors more on kitchen knives, but I do see it quite a lot on razors that turn out to be great shavers, i.e. it's not overheating oxidation). I'd at least try honing it first.

Yup gave it a shot, kept a watch on the edge with a loupe, but no dice - wouldn't take an edge that held. Seemed like it was really hard and resistant to it all. I could go back and use more pressure but that rarely seems to do much other than grow the bevel on a full hollow.

Mike from the pics I am not seeing the indications of buffer marks, the other thing that doesn't seem to indicate heat damage is that the razor seems "hard" to you, normally heat damage presents as "soft" steel that simply grinds away, folds, curls, burrs...

Of course I am flying blind here, trying to assess a problem from pics and posts

Keep at that bevel set . You been honing softies lately ? I always think heat when I see those colors but found out different on one particular razor I thought was going to be junk.

Thanks gents - maybe it is just tough steel. Glen I didn't see any grind/buff marks either but decided the presence of the rainbow colors was disturbing. Guess I'll go back and put it to some stones again to see what happens.

ALSO - how the hell do I turn off this stupid error correcting software function in the forum? I thought I was losing the last of my mind when I re-read some posts but happened to catch the software changing words on me just now.

Originally Posted by AirColorado

Here's another example of heat damage that's not visible until one gets the blade and can look at it sunlight. Of course the photos in the auction did not show anything like this so the buyer has no idea what is there until he ca see it in sunlight. The seller doesn't SEEM to be familiar with razors but who knows.

I picked up what seemed to be a nice C-Mon that I received last night. Initially it appeared pretty good and I looked at it with an eye to what I needed to do to get it back to original condition. The pictures in the auction seemed to match what was in my hand so I left positive feedback. This morning as I prepared to head out to my shop and give it a quick hone, I noticed in the sunlight that it had very obvious rainbows. Uh oh.. While not obvious in artificial light, in sunlight I can see rainbow coloring from purple to straw on both sides of the bevel and on one side it extends up to the spine. Bummer!!!!

Looks to me like someone went to town with a grinder/buffer using cotton or sisal and kept the blade there for a loooong time trying to remove something. There's no recent indication of any grinding so I'm thinking it was an overzealous buffer.

So this is a $50 letter opener if the seller refuses to refund. Just a heads up for those using eBay that even if the pictures don't show heat damage, look at the blade in sunlight to check for it before leaving positive feedback. In this case I wish I'd asked the seller directly if there was any hint of heat damage or "rainbow coloring". I will always ask if there is a visible crack in the blade if the pix are blurry or dim but rarely think to ask about heat damage.

Attachment 148436
Here you can see the colors at the top of the bevel - not in the auction pix.


Attachment 148437
And the other side - also no hint in the auction pix.

You can't tell if it is heat damage or not until you hone it.
I have seen plenty of patina blades with different colors that shaved just fine.

Thanks guys - just checked with the seller and they're okay with me honing it more (wanted to make sure so I don't void the possibility of returning it if it still won't take an edge). So I'll get to it after dinner so I don't have to stop. I'll let you know how it goes.

My latest Dubl Duck, I call it Big Blue, began to exhibit some discoloration when I took it to the buffer.
I am a novice at the buffer, but I do know not to heat up the blade. I use light pressure and keep my finger on the back side of the blade to feel for heat. It also acts as a heat sink to remove heat that is generated. Anyhow. I look at the blade after a pass or three, adn I began to see the same rainbow colors. Oh crud, I thought, I done messed up bad.
Well I have been able to get a fantastic edge on this Duck, so all was not lost.
I looked at the blade again today in sunlight and I see no rainbow. So I guess there are different degrees to which the heat affects the blade.

OK the blade took an edge - just a bit stubborn. Scared the heck out of me though! Thanks all - sorry for the interruption, back to your normally scheduled programming...

Originally Posted by AirColorado

sorry for the interruption, back to your normally scheduled programming...

That got a chuckle out of me,
Glad you got it to take an edge let us know how the test flight goes.