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.