Shipping razors to be honed

Hey guys,
Just sharing a mistake I made an hope you will not do the same.

After about a year of looking for "antique shop" razors and squeezes the penny's, I had found two decent razors for a good price.

After cleaning them up as best I could, I decided to send them to be honed. Don't know what I was thinking(Obviously not thinking). When asked how I wanted to ship them I just replied, "The cheapest way". I had them in a legal size manila envelope.

I found out the "Cheapest" way was regular stamped mail. Realized later, no tracking number or anything.

My razors have not yet arrived at their honing destination, and I have no way of finding out where they are.

Out two razors!!!http://straightrazorpalace.com/images/icons/icon9.png

So glad I won the March giveawayhttp://straightrazorpalace.com/images/icons/icon11.png

Lesson: Put your razors in a priority mail box to mail with tracking number and add insurance if they are valuable..

There is a SRP member that has honed a number of razors for me. Invariably he states, "Get tracking". I think he has that tattooed on an arm or somewhere.

I see restored razors on eBay. I ship US MAIL first class padded envelope. I buy my postage thru PayPal and it is cheaper than post office and comes with free tracking. Never had a problem.

I've shipped hundreds of razors, every one in a priority box. No issues & quite a few of those are shipped internationally. I've had quite a few razors come to me busted in padded envelopes, even if the razor was in a razor box. Ask yourself, am I so tight I would risk busted scales or blade for a few extra bucks?

Keep the odds in your favor and use a priority box and a razor box, everything snuggled in packing p-nuts, bubble wrap, or at the least wadded up newspaper.

Yep. I've seen some weird and wonderful packing of razors that get sent to me from people. It's a wonder they arrive in one piece! A rubber band wrapped around a razor is not adequate protection people!!

Regardless of how it is sent to me, I always bubble wrap on return. And if I am paying for the postage back it's always what Australia post calls "express post", with a tracking number.

James.

Even if you have tracking there is no recourse if they do not arrive. The post office will just give you back the postage if you spend the time to fill out the required forms, which is most likely not worth your time (it wasn't worth mine when stuff I had mailed got lost).

The only way to protect yourself is if you buy an insurance, and then you still have to jump through the hoops.

May be your razors will eventually arrive at their destination.

As mentioned earlier if you have a printer you should print the postage from paypal as long as they still offer the service - it's cheaper than going to the post office and includes tracking. Not more protection unless you buy the insurance, but more convenience and lower cost.

You see the word CHEAP on this site all day everyday,I want a Cheap razor,I want a cheap strop, I want a cheap Hone,I want a cheap Brush, I want a cheap soap.
Get over it guys, the adage you get what you pay for is true.
I can ship 4 blades,Priority mail for $5.85, thats cheap.

That is cheap!
Thanks for the info.

I hope others(Newbs especially) are seeing some of this and will avoid the head and heartache.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

You see the word CHEAP on this site all day everyday,I want a Cheap razor,I want a cheap strop, I want a cheap Hone,I want a cheap Brush, I want a cheap soap.
Get over it guys, the adage you get what you pay for is true.
I can ship 4 blades,Priority mail for $5.85, thats cheap.

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"I can ship 4 blades,Priority mail for $5.85, thats cheap." Seriously. Try driving them there for $5.85...:p

I love the tube. I had one single razor come to me in a daggum 3x18" tube packed like it was worth $10,000. I'm going to cut that in half and re-use it whenever i need to ship multiples. 9" of tube would tote 3-6 razors easy.

Over-pack always. Then go priority. Has work for me on lots of stuff for a long time. Yes, padded mailers are what i've seen busted the most. But realize that "parcel post" is where pkgs take the worst beating. They beat them out of one truck and beat them into another and repeat the process twelve times per 200 miles it seems. Pack for the worst, avoid parcel post is my advice.

An envelope will arrive with a hole in the end and nothing inside. Got some that way from the 'bay. Priority boxes and envelopes have $50 insurance. Tracking is now standard on them. Flat rate is a great deal!
Pack a razor as though it were valuable. The box doesn't let anyone know what is inside. Also, the box is a good way to ship across borders. Fill out the customs form and it is good to go. On the form put shaving supplies and, do not ship to Italy!
Pack the razor in such a way as it will not rattle and fill the space around it with crumpled trash bags. The little Flat Rate has no weight limit in the USofA and 4 lbs overseas..
Just my take from a lot of goodies shipped around the world!
~Richard

I wrap razors in a paper towel then place in a plastic freezer, zip lock bag in case of moisture. Into a Priority Mail small, 5x8 cardboard box, fill with shredded paper and seal edges with packing tape.

Do not ship in an envelope. Just figure the package is going to get thrown around and pack accordingly.

Get insurance with tracking.

I think this one deserves extra "Ingenuity" points :p

Attachment 161220

Hey it worked,,, razors arrived safely here

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think this one deserves extra "Ingenuity" points :p

Attachment 161220

Hey it worked,,, razors arrived safely here

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That is way to funny:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

That is way to funny:)

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I swear I was giggling as I pulled it from the mail box thinking of this thread :rofl2:

This just might be the greatest packing job ever!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think this one deserves extra "Ingenuity" points :p

Attachment 161220

Hey it worked,,, razors arrived safely here

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I had one to come in the mail the other day in just an envelope...guy was really lucky though, no damage. It went back in a flat rate box, properly wrapped in bubble wrap and peanuts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

I had one to come in the mail the other day in just an envelope...guy was really lucky though, no damage. It went back in a flat rate box, properly wrapped in bubble wrap and peanuts.

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I had one come last week in a brown envelope for some scale work,blade was wide open,no other packing at all:)