Question about a purchase:

Hey,

I realize that I am about to pose a hypothetical that only I can answer, but I'm going to do it anyways.

I recently bought a group of razors on another forum. The package consisted of:

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1. Norvell Shapleigh Hdwe Snap #35 w/Box (It has a cracked handle.)
2. Edmond Raffler #11, France (Gold Tone Blade w/ Box)
3. Duble Duck Dwarf, Germany
4. Mahler & Gros, Toledo: O Toledo Blade
5. Motor City Charm, Detroit, Made in Germany
6. Gill Pumacker, New York, Black Diamond Wedge

The Hone is a Keen Kutter Kombination Razor Hone No: K20 w/ Tin Case

Safety Razor (No name brand and no box.)

Gem Safety Razor w/ Box.

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The seller said that the edges were free of nicks and chips, but that wasn't the case. The Duble Duck has a decent chip in the toe, the Motor City Charm has a several chips in the middle of the blade, and the Black Diamond Wedge has a chip in the heel. The other three razors don't have any serious damage, but the edges aren't in shaving condition. I don't believe that the seller was acting under bad faith--I think he is simply very unfamiliar with razors and didn't know how to look at the edges properly. The seller has already apologized profusely and offered a full refund if I desire. Right now I'm away from home for a week and a half and he's giving me that time to mull my options over.

Attachment 84301Attachment 84302Attachment 84303

So here's my dilemma. Including shipping each item cost me relatively little. I think it would be neat to get them professionally cleaned up but I don't know if it will be worth the cost?

I'm curious what you would do in this situation and why?

Thank you for any opinions you can offer.

(*Edited* Edited to conform to Forum Rules, my apologies.)

Without knowing what you paid, it's a little difficult to judge your purchase, but on my little monitor I don't see any really bad blades. One of the scales is cracked at the wedge end--not the end of the world, but not very attractive either. My guess is that at least 3 or 4 would make excellent shavers. I'm not sure about the Roffler, I thought they were mostly hair-styling razors. The hone looks to be in nice shape. The safety razors -- probably not anything to get excited about.

The problem I see is that these straights need polishing and honing, and that is going to cost you a bit. You might try to figure out if there's someone in your area that could evaluate these in person and maybe barter a bit of the labor.

Thanks for the input. I paid about $12.00 for each individual item in the set.

What makes the most sense to me is to just keep the hone, take good pictures, describe the defects, and try and re-sell the set. However, there is something very unsatisfying about passing along damaged goods (not that it really matters). Even though I don't have the equipment or the skill to fix the edges (Given a shop I'm confident I could do the re-scale.) it would still feel good to get them ship-shape before sending them off.

Should I do that I suppose I should save up and send them all out at once--otherwise I fear shipping would kill me. Although, admittedly I hadn't thought of using local resources. There is certainly no shortage of good guys nearby.

Thanks for the help. That's what I need--people to give me a different perspective.

I'd put the mahler toledo blade on ebay for a BIN price of $90 (can't find one on there for less than $90) and use the money to pay for restoration of the Duck and the charm (cool scales). Just my 2 cents.

Judging by those pictures, there are no big chips that can't be honed out easily. I'd say you did great.

First of all, if the seller did not advertise the razors as "shave ready" or "in shaving condition", then it will be nearly impossible to hold him accountable for providing razors that do in fact shave comfortably.

Like stimpy said, those razors require cleaning and honing. If you can do that yourself, then it's not going to cost much. If you would like someone else to perform that service, then it will most likely be a per razor price, or possibly a price to restore the entire pack of them.

As for the nicks and chips. From your pictures, it looks like those blades are all in a condition that will support honing. Keep in mind that a chip or ding that is about 1/2-1mm deep takes about 2 minutes to work out on a DMT 325, using some pressure circles.

If I'm looking at a razor, and the seller says it has a chip in the toe....and from the pictures I can SEE the chip, then I don't touch them. Unless it's 4 or 5 mm deep in the middle of the blade, something may be possible, including grinding down the heel or two to modify the cutting edge.

Just my thoughts.

I'd say keep the razors and make them shave. ....and at roughly $12 a pop...that's a great price.

Thank you Maxi, that's the kind of information I need.

I have no issues with the seller--thus far he has acted with the utmost integrity. If I want a refund I have been promised a refund. But I'm new to the whole process and I don't want to get everything cleaned and honed if the cost will out weigh the return (which is entirely subjective and up to me I know). I don't have my own hones so I would have to get someone else to do it. Do you think it would be better to send things out as a group?

*Edit* Also, thank you to whomever moved this to the appropriate sub-section.

The only way to answer your last question is to PM some of the members in the Classifieds who offer honing services and see what the response is.

The blades look pretty good to me - especially considering that you got them from eBay. Duzzy, you are always welcome to use my tools if you have any interest in cleaning them up yourself. You can borrow my hones as well if interested. Just shoot me a PM. Have fun!

$12 is at, but probably a little below what you would pay on Ebay by a few dollars. (Buying in lots, $12 or less for those razors. Buying individually, you probably pay more.) So, good buy!

I don't believe any of the razors will be difficult to return to great shaving shape.

Hi
Not a bad pick up as it appears. I personally hate returning stuff unless I have to. I would consider using some of those blades as learning fodder for honing. It doesn't sound like you do your own honing (bevel setting, chip repair, edge finish work), but this might be the time to seek out some water stones and have at it. The forums here at SRP offer more than enough advice to get you started, and I can say from experience there are few tasks more satisfying than shaving comfortably with a razor you've honed.

kingping

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Originally Posted by diyguy

The blades look pretty good to me - especially considering that you got them from eBay. Duzzy, you are always welcome to use my tools if you have any interest in cleaning them up yourself. You can borrow my hones as well if interested. Just shoot me a PM. Have fun!

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Thank you very much for the offer. I might give it a try on one of the more banged up blades--but given how much my hands shake I'm afraid of doing more harm than good.

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Originally Posted by kingping

Hi
Not a bad pick up as it appears. I personally hate returning stuff unless I have to. I would consider using some of those blades as learning fodder for honing. It doesn't sound like you do your own honing (bevel setting, chip repair, edge finish work), but this might be the time to seek out some water stones and have at it. The forums here at SRP offer more than enough advice to get you started, and I can say from experience there are few tasks more satisfying than shaving comfortably with a razor you've honed.

kingping

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I also hate to return things, especially when the seller is a good person. I'm really probably just acting like a kid over the whole deal. I wouldn't miss them if they were gone tomorrow, and it's a purchase I shouldn't have made in the first place.

But at the same time... it would be fun to see them restored.

Thanks for your input everyone.

If you paid approximately 12$ per item I would say that you have done good depending on the chips and nicks and how much work it would take to make them usable if possible. The barbers hone is a GREAT ONE, I have the same one with the same tin container, my favorite! I would forgive the seller, what I consider a chip(un seeable) and what he calls a chip (seeable) are two different things, I think he has been honest and above board and has gone out of his way to make things right if need be. He deserves a thanks as well as positive feedback.

+1 on all the responses. It is getting more difficult to find used razors with that much potential for 12 dollars. Most of them would turn into great shavers by just honing them up. If you don't want to do it youself, send them out or at least the ones you like the best and enjoy the shaves!

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Originally Posted by Duzzy

But I'm new to the whole process and I don't want to get everything cleaned and honed if the cost will out weigh the return (which is entirely subjective and up to me I know).

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This is the same mistake that it seems just about every beginner makes, even though we constantly tell them not to do it.
Yes, the cost of getting a razor cleaned and honed will make it far more expensive than buying one that's already good to go.

The only reasons to buy razors that need work is if you enjoy doing the work, or you're really short on money and very long on time (i.e. your time doing it is worth far less than the minimum wage), or if the razors are special and you just can't get them in good condition.

Now if you want to have many dozens of razors or become reasonably good and try to run a business, all that time and expense in tools is the upfront cost of learning. Once you become good it may become profitable, but it'll take you quite some time before you break even.
When you don't have the expertise to know what's good you're just gambling, so generally you'll loose, because you'll mostly get the leftover stuff that the people who are good at it pass on, or you're pay more than those who know are willing to pay.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but this is the reality - on this forum you will get for free all the information and help that you need to learn, but you'll still have to put quite a bit of work or money yourself. Just get some quotes from the restoration and honing people and do the math yourself.

For those of you interested, here is a picture of the toe of the Dubl Duck. I do not believe that any of the chips are more serious than this, although they were certainly harder to photograph.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...48069370_n.jpg

Hone it out.

Absolutely on the honing! You could even just ever-so-slightly blunt that point, making under-the-nostril positioning that much "easier." If that's the worst damage on the blade you're good to go. That kind of repair and stone work is incredibly satisfying, and even if you farm it out it looks like there's not a lot of hone wear on the spine and you'll have a great shaver at a decent price. Enjoy!

That chip is hardly worth mentioning, it will hone out quite easily.