Thread: Need advice/guidance to buying razors on eBay

Before I begin I should clarify that ive never shaved with a straight razor before and so am a complete beginner at this. I did get a Bismarck leather strop and shaving soap plus a brush. The only thing I really need now is a better razor.

I shaved twice with the Kreiger razor I had bought over ebay before I thought of checking on here for advice. It wasnt quite doing what I wanted, and unfortunately read that the brand was listed as one of the poorly performing blades. So now I need to look for a new razor or two but I'm unsure of what to trust. Or to be more exact, I know I should look for "shaving ready" blades and I've seen the recommended brands of razors but I'm still confused about how to make sure if the ones I find are actually useable. I had entered "shaving ready straight razor" to find a few but with how my face feels right now I dont know if I can trust them.

Any advice you guys can give me would be appreciated, I'm willing to put as much effort as necessary to get a smooth shave from a straight razor, starting with getting the right one.

Check the classifieds here on SRP and if you absolutely must have a new razor most of the websites advertised here offer shave ready razors.

Arock

What "Arock" said, just make sure you order one shave ready.

After you do get a good razor & shave with it a few times you'll see what it's all about & why some razors are on a not recommended list.

Welcome to SRP. Obviously you've found the SRP Wiki and have read the beginner's guide. I would suggest a new straight razor from one of the vendors that support SRP and whose ads appear in the side bars. An entry level Dovo or better if you want to spend more. Absolutely must be pro honed and a strop/razor kit is a good idea too. Just IMHO.

The classifieds and the vendor ads on the sides will provide you with reputable folks that will get you a razor you can shave with. Be sure to check the wiki for all sorts of fun stuff to occupy your mind while your straight is in transit

Oh...and welcome to SRP

My first advice is to stay away from ebay this early in the str8 razor shaving game. There is more than enough time for you to go bottom fishing on the bay--after you gain some knowldge about str8 razors.

My second piece of advice is to follow the advice offered in the previous posts. Explore the websites of the vendors who advertise here at SRP are check out the ads in the SRP "Classifieds." New or vintage, those are better places for a person new to str8 razor shaving to look first for a good quality, honed razor than ebay.

Just my 2 cents.

wow, some of these are pretty expensive.

I assume that if i want a quality one I should expect the 100+ dollar price as I see on some of the Classifieds and the pro website items?

Originally Posted by Roamer

wow, some of these are pretty expensive.

I assume that if i want a quality one I should expect the 100+ dollar price as I see on some of the Classifieds and the pro website items?

That depends. Some of the razors are not only shave ready, but very collectable.

Many have started with a DOVO Best Quality 5/8 or 6/8. I personally started with a 6/8 and had very good luck with it. Here is a link, and less than $100.00, and definatley shave ready.

Vintage Blades LLC::Dovo Straight Razors::Dovo Carbon Steel Straight Razors::Dovo "Best Quality", 6/8" Carbon Steel Straight Razor - "Black" - Professionally Honed

For any razor you find on ebay, add another $20 for getting it honed by a professional, then shipping both ways. That is assuming that the scales are straight and there is no rust to deal with. Then there's the razors you run across that have deceptive ads and you get snookered. Bad pics, poor lighting and misleading descriptions can mask some real dogs.

Are you sure you want to do do that, or would you rather spend $50 on the classifieds and get one you know you can trust? I got a fabulous one here for only $30 recently.

Goog