Thread: Judge My Mappin and Webb Purchase

Hello All,

I just recently joined SRP and have to say that I really love this forum. I gave a small introduction in the beginners' thread. I have done a lot of research on straight razors and have read some advice on purchasing on ebay. I like to look at straight razor auctions on ebay to see what people offer, the quality of the blades, and what razors go for price-wise. This is how I fell out of love with Dubl Ducks and Filarmonica Razors. However, a couple of days ago, I decided to ignore the best advise a newbie can get when it comes from ebay: Don't Buy Off Ebay!

Here is a link to my purchase:

Mappin & Webb straight razor for restoration. - eBay (item 370355476620 end time Mar-26-10 13:35:21 PDT)

In case that doesn't work: Item Number - 370355476620

Some back story behind this purhcase:
I have read that Mappin and Webb Razors are really nice. Also, I really like the vintage Sheffield razors. I noticed that these razors are hard to come by, so I decided to go for it. I saw an earlier auction for one of these end at around $90. I contacted the seller and asked a bunch of questions on this razor. The seller does not know much about razors as he is just an antiques collector, so he did the best he could. I also asked him if he would do a buy-it-now offer. We haggled a little bit: he wanted $56; I wanted $35; we settled at $44 and change. If the razor is capable of being restored, I will have a person restore it. One of the scales is cracked, so I will probably have to have the scales replaced. Also, the seller did not post a lot of pictures. However, the seller has a high feedback rating and an advertised no quibble returns policy. I plan on posting pictures when I get the blade to see if people think I should return it. One area of concern for me is the rust on the front of the spine. I'll have to look at that. I am hopping the restore will cost somewhere between $40 and $80 so that I don't lose to much money on the razor.

Please take a look at my purchase and feel free to criticize. This is one of the small ways I can pay-it-forward to the forum. Please be kind though. Thanks everyone.

Hard to critique a razor based on that shallow angle small photo. I've paid a lot more for an almost new m&w only to accidentally push it off the desk and break it. Condition is very important. Restoring it well is usually possible, but when you add up the cost of doing it it may not turn out all that cheap in the end, plus you've assumed quite a bit of risk.

The rule of glen - if you have to ask for an opinion on your purchases, you shouldn't be buying on ebay.

Hope this is helpful.

The Rule of Glen should probably be the Law of Glen . I decided to hit the dumb button on this one (which strangely looks like the ebay bid button) in the hopes that it would be a razor capable of restoration. As far as money goes, cheaper is better, but I was hoping that the value of the restored razor would be somewhere near my cost of the razor. I will be posting more and better pictures of the razor once I receive it. I'll need SRP to help me decide if I should send it back or restore it.

I am sorry to hear that happen to your Mappin and Webb in good condition. I didn't know that this steel could get so weak. I'll be sure to analyze that when it arrives. Thanks for your post. I hope others get something out of this thread.

Originally Posted by altshaver

I'll need SRP to help me decide if I should send it back or restore it.

Realize that taking it back would be purely at the graciousness of the seller. You bought something without knowing what it was. The seller has no responsibility for that.

That is very true. I had discussions with the seller, and he has a nice return policy along with a good feedback record to back that up. This is one of the reasons why I chose to hit the dumb button . We'll see how it turns out though. Thanks for the response.

Hi!

Just wanted to chime in and respond to your Mappin & Webb purchase. I own 4 of these baby's and consider them some of my best shavers. Have just restored a 6/8 that was purchased on ebay. It had considerable pitting and some rust but non the less was in pretty bad shape. Point is, I believe it could be restored and serve you well as long as there are no surprises when you get the razor. There are some guys at SRP who do great restoration!

Good Luck!

Ronnie

Well, what can I say? I'm going to post this one in the eBay 101 thread here:http://straightrazorpalace.com/aucti...bay-101-a.html We'll see what everyone else says.

While this is a good brand you may find that restoration may cost more than you expect and/or get back less than you expect. Best to take Glen's advice. Most of us her are trying to help the newbies. If you did your own restores and the restoration was a labor of love that might be another story. Newbies should not be looking for restorations until they have a complete understanding of what they are getting into or want to learn to restore their own blades and money is not an issue. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but in the long run it is the best advice.

Good luck with your purchase.

I like the responses. I posted this with the idea in my mind that it could help others out. All criticism is valued unless it is in a mean spirit. I took some calculated risks with this purchase though. However, I feel I covered my back as good as I could have considering this is an ebay purchase. I avoided a bidding war. I chose a seller with good policies and reputation. I asked a lot of questions (6 messages worth). However, I chose a seller with not much experience with straight razors. There was only one picture of the item (not the best one at that). And the restoration on this piece may be higher than I thought.

I feel confident that I can return it if I am unhappy. Also, it could be a nice shaver in the end. My hope is to make this thread a bit of a living story with this purchase from purchase to conclusion (hopefully with a restored beauty). Thanks for all of the replies!

I think it looks good based on the photo. If there are no hidden negatives , cracks in the blade or scales at the pivot. Resto wouldn't cost me any more then a dab of the semichrome I already have and a couple of paper towels.

Originally Posted by altshaver

I am sorry to hear that happen to your Mappin and Webb in good condition. I didn't know that this steel could get so weak. I'll be sure to analyze that when it arrives.

Oh, there's no problem with the steel, it's the kinetic energy from the 1m fall that was the problem. Hardened steel does no take well to such stress. Of course, I've got quite a bit more m&w to console me, but it's still a shame about the one I broke.