getting an ebay deal...

Hey all,

I'm a straight razor newb, having gotten my first new straight (dovo classic 5/8") for Christmas. I shaved with it a few times then sent out for professional honing since it was only factory sharpened. Surprisingly, I found the factory edge was O.K., but I'm looking forward to feeling the difference a honemeister can make.

I figure the next step is to learn some honing and better stropping technique myself. I want to pick up an ebay special to practice this stuff, but possibly combine it with beginning to learn some restoration as well by picking up an older blade (this is basically an excuse to cover up my early symptoms of RAD). I figured for these purposes I should spend no more than $25 Canadian, but the last few auctions I've seen have gone into the mid $30's. Do I just need to be more patient waiting for a deal, or am I being unreasonable in my expectations? Any comments would be appreciated.

Welcome Xanderhal,
Less than 20 is not an unreasonable goal. I too am new at this and have searched around to find cheap secondary razors. The 2 I manged to find is a double arrow by stamps222 that costs ~14 dollars. I haven't actually received the razor yet but seeing other reviews on these forums It seems like It can hold a shaveable edge even though the scales seem to suck.
The other razor I managed to find was a JR Torrey on craigslist which I bought for 15 dollars. In the past I have seen razors in antique shops for 15 to 20 dollars as well.
You aren't likely to find a new super great razor for that price point but you definitely can find a workable razor that you will be proud of with some effort.
Good luck with your search

Welcome to SRP. There are a lot of good razors out there made in Solingen, Sweden, Sheffield and the USA. Referring to vintage blades. Ebay is sort of a crap shoot unless you know what you are doing.

Condition is as important as the maker when you get into the lower priced razors. Make sure the photos are good and ask questions. I like to ask if there are any cracks or chips in the blade or the scales if the seller doesn't mention it.

You might be better served looking in the SRP classifieds for a sure thing at a little bit more cost. Check out the razor clubs here to get an idea of what the favorite razor brands are among forum members. :gl:

I got a couple of old Wade & Butchers. One for $22 & one for $25. I was new to E-bay witch can be a very frustrating thing. People will out bid you in the last 3 to 5 seconds. It was infuriating to say the least. If you find a razor you want prepare to take the gloves off cause there's ten other people there too. Good luck

Ebay can be frustrating, but for all the same reasons you can get hosed, you can blunder into something nice at a good price. Figure out what you want and don’t get impatient or get into a bidding war. Sniper programs abound, but sometimes everyone’s radar is down and you can win unopposed. It does not happen a lot, but enough to keep things interesting.

G'day & Welcome xanderhal.

eBay is a numbers game. You have to put in the time searching. Eventually you find what you want or even something better you weren't looking for.
Patience does help tho.

Have you tried any local antique stores. I have found some good buys for under $20.00 US that I used to learn honing. It turns out these are some really good razors too.

I think that you would be more satisfied if you check the classifieds and antiques stores around where you live. There are also other reputable dealers online that you will learn about overtime and probably at price ranges a bit higher than what you have in mind right now. The problem of buying online is that it takes some training to see the differences between a good buy and a piece of garbage from a couple of blurry pictures, taken in the most flattering possible angle and less than objective descriptions. Probably the best deal you can find on Ebay for now, is not finding one at all!!!!

Al raz.

I would recommend checking out the classifieds here also. You can usually be sure that the razor is being appropriately represented.

here are some great deals on vintage blades to practice on enjoy

razors :: Charming & Cheap Vintage Collectibles

Thanks for all of the info guys. I'm going to keep watching the razors that I've scouted so far on ebay, and then if they get too expensive I'll probably start looking at some of the other sources you suggest.