Thread: Request for advice on the choice of the vintage razor

Greetings, my name is Paul and I am new here.

Being curious about straight razor shaving I would like to get some more information before buying a razor and setting on to pursue a practical hobby of straight razor shaving. Being organized kind of guy I did some research myself before asking questions, namely I have read an electronic copy of the book «The Straight Razor Shave» by Christopher Moss, the Beginner's Guide by Lynn Abrams and some of the entries from this forum's FAQ and knowledge database.

However, there are still some questions that I was not able to find answered, precisely the criteria by which to judge quality of a vintage straight razor. I understand, that aesthetic considerations set aside, things to look for include quality of steel and length, width and hollowness of the blade. Now to the question itself. Currently, there are more than 500 vintage straight razors that match the search string offered by the FAQ under the price of $30. How can one prospective buyer, aside from looking for cracks, chips and signs of corrosion on the blade try to understand what quality of steel the blade is made of? What should I stay away from?

I understand that one way is looking for a blade of specific make and origin. Can anyone point me to a list of a known good vintage razor manufacturers, or make a few examples? I was not able to find one such list myself, of find a comprehensive guide that answers such question as mine.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. I understand that most of such razors are not going to be shave-ready and must be honed professionally before use.

P.P.S. Here are some links to the razors that have caught my eye — [1], [2], [3]. Please feel free to tell me what you think about them.