Ebay in a buyer's market right now

This post is for those of you who donate your razors to the Ebay cause... Have you noticed that it's become a BUYERS market the last couple months, with few exceptions (filarmonica's, certain 8/8 W/B's, etc)

It concerns me, as a seller, who relies on a SELLER's market to make it worth my while...
Will that nice buyer's market ever come back?
Is it the time of year, and things will pick back up in the winter?
Have the 60,000 or so straight razor collectors worldwide all decided to do their own restores, and won't empty their pockets for one where the work is done for them? Even prime, unrestored, 8/8 wedges are reasonable now, for buyers...
Is everybody concerned that they're going to get burnt with a "restored" razor with a fried temper?

I've been doing this for a couple years now, and my question is for the veterans who have seen many a year of the ebay market. Are we in a razor housing market right now?

thanks for your thoughts!

Nope..I had good luck on eBay with all my cleaned up razors...snazzy description+great pics=easy sell..few other additions when listing but that's about it..

I don't think so. I had as many viewers in 3 days this time with the same items and pictures as I had in 10 last time earlier in the summer. The traffic just hasn't been there and ebay has been doing promotions the last 3 months to move things along.

Even this forum had been slow up until recently. People gots lots to do in the summertime when weather is hot.

The prices on new factory razors haven't been going up for a while, and these do set a limit on the prices of vintage razors.
In my opinion this whole straight shaving is a bit of a bubble and will fade. I don't really care though, for me it's a hobby, not a money making machine, and I will enjoy it just the same regardless what happens with the market.

There are a couple of 8/8 I'd like to offlaod before the bubble bursts. :)
But I think some has to do with the summer holidays. People will spend more time on holiday or outside, rather than in front of their computers.

There are a lot of affluent new users around now who seem to acquire 10's/100's of razors in an incredibly short time - most of whom I expect to drop off once the air of exclusivity fades. At that point I think the market will collapse and eBay will be flooded with hoarded FBU's and EPBD's, just in time for me to swoop in and gather them by the sackful ;)

Some of the more well known sellers are still bringing big $ for their razors. Check their completed listings. From my perspective you have the antique/flea market sellers who know little or nothing about straight razors. If it is a 'hot' item they may bring in the $ if they take good photos .... and it is excellent or better condition.

I've been fooling with collecting straight razors since the mid 1980s and watching them on ebay, off and on, since '99. Like Eschers and coticules the market ebbs and flows. Hot and cold. These forums help to stimulate interest and the more we talk about a brand the more demand for a limited time.

One of the downsides IMHO is the 'restorers'. I usually won't even give a second look to a shined up vintage razor that says "shave ready" in the listing. I can count the truly qualified restorers on the fingers of one hand. That is why I tend to go for razors that have that honest patina on the blade. These forums and youtube have made a whole class of guys who could say, last month I couldn't spell restorer and now I are one. :p

Like many other things you have to look at trends long term. If you do then you see behind the ups and downs. In the end if you have a good quality razor in great shape from a recognized seller then price will be high. You also need to look at the number of razors being sold which has increased steadily. Granted, a lot of it is junk and more Pakistani junk is being hawked but over the long term things will equalize out. I don't see any gold mines in razors.

Wouldn't know, I have never sold anything on Ebay :p

Every razor I buy off eBay I do in hesitation. Half the time I don't even bid. I just watch them and see how the price goes. If someone puts a razor up for "Buy it now" I take their bid price and buy price as to what they think the razor is worth. I won't say a razor isn't worth the asking price, I am just cheap and I can't afford to pay what most are asking for.

I am like a shark, in the bay ... Waiting for my desired meal to swim by.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Some of the more well known sellers are still bringing big $ for their razors. Check their completed listings. From my perspective you have the antique/flea market sellers who know little or nothing about straight razors. If it is a 'hot' item they may bring in the $ if they take good photos .... and it is excellent or better condition.

I've been fooling with collecting straight razors since the mid 1980s and watching them on ebay, off and on, since '99. Like Eschers and coticules the market ebbs and flows. Hot and cold. These forums help to stimulate interest and the more we talk about a brand the more demand for a limited time.

One of the downsides IMHO is the 'restorers'. I usually won't even give a second look to a shined up vintage razor that says "shave ready" in the listing. I can count the truly qualified restorers on the fingers of one hand. That is why I tend to go for razors that have that honest patina on the blade. These forums and youtube have made a whole class of guys who could say, last month I couldn't spell restorer and now I are one. :p

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As a new guy buying I will not pay more then $60 or 70 for a used good looking razor . Lots of new guys are the same I have 5 friends that have just gotten into this too and they are the same why pay more then that for some old blade that you might not know who has cleaned up and messed up when i can pay around a 100-200 to get a nice brand new one that I know is not messed up. Nothing against people who do this but in todays world I can youtube how to clean one up my self. Please dont take it as me being rude to any but I agree with Jimmy why should i trust any one to do what I percieve I could do with a light dermal action and a norton 4/8 and a NANIWA 12. If I get in any real trouble were I mess up Ill then pay to send it to some one.

Well, I just bought a light box so hopefully some better pictures would help my cause. I have a good camera, but sometimes that just doesn't cut it...

I do see many more people attempting their own restorations, and posting them on this site. Some are fairly well done, and some look like a middle school wood shop project. If people are happy with that, I applaud their efforts, and encourage it. However, there are many people who understand that to do a professional looking job, there is an art to it, and in addition, you need tools - belt sander, table saw, drill, buffer, buffing wheels, greaseless compound, hones, ball peen hammer, pins, washers, wood/bone/horn/etc., finish, sandpaper, and a whole lot of manual dexterity, craftsmanship, and experience - not to mention time.

For instance, I can youtube how to repaint my mercedes roadster, but I'd much rather have a professional do it :)

I am thinking that the high rollers ARE the ones doing their own restorations, and so my high-end razors may be less sought after because there are many (like USMCChaps) who opt out of the pricey razors - like he says, why pay more than $70 bucks for a used razor when you can get a new dovo for $150?

I think, though, there are many that would take a like-new, restored, 7/8 or 8/8 Mappin, Savage, George Brittain, Thomas Turner, JR, etc. etc. over a new Dovo, any day of the week :)

I'm going to try a new strategy, and put my copywriting skills to work -

1. Better pictures
2. Emphasize a return policy
3. Emphasize the significance of the materials used and the historical quality of the blade (too many newbies who don't read, and you get a huge Wade and Butcher market, and a crappy most everything else market)
4. Emphasize my rep as a razor restorer (I think my ebay account has over 120 happy customers by now)

Oh, one more thing - I ALWAYS sell my razors as BUY IT NOW, and never leave it to auction. This my hinder speedy sales, but at least I won't get burnt if the right buyers aren't online at the moment...

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Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

Well, I just bought a light box so hopefully some better pictures would help my cause. I have a good camera, but sometimes that just doesn't cut it...

I do see many more people attempting their own restorations, and posting them on this site. Some are fairly well done, and some look like a middle school wood shop project. If people are happy with that, I applaud their efforts, and encourage it. However, there are many people who understand that to do a professional looking job, there is an art to it, and in addition, you need tools - belt sander, table saw, drill, buffer, buffing wheels, greaseless compound, hones, ball peen hammer, pins, washers, wood/bone/horn/etc., finish, sandpaper, and a whole lot of manual dexterity, craftsmanship, and experience - not to mention time.

For instance, I can youtube how to repaint my mercedes roadster, but I'd much rather have a professional do it :)

I am thinking that the high rollers ARE the ones doing their own restorations, and so my high-end razors may be less sought after because there are many (like USMCChaps) who opt out of the pricey razors - like he says, why pay more than $70 bucks for a used razor when you can get a new dovo for $150?

I think, though, there are many that would take a like-new, restored, 7/8 or 8/8 Mappin, Savage, George Brittain, Thomas Turner, JR, etc. etc. over a new Dovo, any day of the week :)

I'm going to try a new strategy, and put my copywriting skills to work -

1. Better pictures
2. Emphasize a return policy
3. Emphasize the significance of the materials used and the historical quality of the blade (too many newbies who don't read, and you get a huge Wade and Butcher market, and a crappy most everything else market)
4. Emphasize my rep as a razor restorer (I think my ebay account has over 120 happy customers by now)

Oh, one more thing - I ALWAYS sell my razors as BUY IT NOW, and never leave it to auction. This my hinder speedy sales, but at least I won't get burnt if the right buyers aren't online at the moment...

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Why would you need a belt sander for razors.
I wouldn't ever sharpen a axe on a grinder.

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Originally Posted by Suile

Why would you need a belt sander for razors.
I wouldn't ever sharpen a axe on a grinder.

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Shaping new scales. Where's a grinder enter the picture?

Personally i would not even condersider
buying a razor or a peice of vintage steel. that's not in as found in condition.
My opion of that black stuff is it don't hurt any one.
plus when taking about the blade as a item.
it's better to be fully covered in black stuff.
it cann't rust where that is. I don't even take pitts any
out of any of my axes. i just put wd 40 and rub off the rust leave
the pits and black stuff.
sharpen the edge and it's ready for use. if it can with a
good useable handle.
what i personally want to take up is wood craving just
cause it's hard to find a accectable handle.
not even one out of ten axe handles in the stores are
acceptable.

There are very few restorers I would buy from. I do prefer "as found" blades as opposed to pre owned (recent ownership), and I wouldnt buy a blade that has had any sort of cleaning, sanding, or other violations.

I am guilty of "restoring/bastardizing" a blade or two but I'd never pedal them off on ebay as restored razors.

As a fellow proprietor I feel for any business suffering. My product is often undersold/DIY'd (bastardized) aswell. Keep up the good fight.

Just like everything else right now, it is a buyers market if you can find a buyer.

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Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Just like everything else right now, it is a buyers market if you can find a buyer.

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People call the tattoo shop and ask if we need a tattooer .... I tell them we need customers. :p

That makes sense to use it for the scales.
Hard to tell when a axe is done for.
Cause the chopping bit is harden steel and the part
where the handle goes is soft steel.
This is a huge reason why one should never grind
a axe on a grinder.
Cause once the harden steel chopping bit is ground away they
are done for.

I love scythes. In my youth I used American ones, the big stamped-out untempered blades you could sharpen on grinders 'cause there was nothing to lose. About 10 years ago I got a nice European one, with a peened steel blade. So much lighter, 'cause there isn't all that reinforcing rib crapola like the American-style blade. The cool thing about sharpening the European blades is that peening is where you begin, so the cutting edge has always been work-hardened.

Any electrician's tool that gets caught in a short circuit is roached, too, because the working surfaces get annealed. With any luck, that's all the bad that happens.

bummer i don't have any Scythes.
I really like how pratice makes prefect with
a axe. Even though axes are not ment
to spit wood. I can almust always
spit the peice of wood on the first strike
with my axe.

Mods, can we move this conversation to the 'axe' thread? Additionally, for you axe experts, I want to know if ladies will really swarm around me if I wear it, because those commercials are so convincing :thinking:

Better yet, you could just "AXE" this thread! :cry:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USMCChaps

Nothing against people who do this but in todays world I can youtube how to clean one up my self. Please dont take it as me being rude to any but I agree with Jimmy why should i trust any one to do what I percieve I could do with a light dermal action and a norton 4/8 and a NANIWA 12. If I get in any real trouble were I mess up Ill then pay to send it to some one.

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There is a difference though.
What I call cleaning up, you can do too with some care.
What I call restoration is something you could not do. Not without putting in the same time, effort and money as people like me, Glen, Max, and a couple handful of others.

The people who can do the latter are only a percentage of the number of people who do the former.

Dermal action???????,dermitology?? Exfoliation?? Am confused here.