Thread: Bad Form?

Hi, I'm brand new here. I've been poking around anonymously for a little while.
I'm trying to save up for my first straight razor, but I was wondering:

Is it bad form to enter the giveaway contest since I'm new to the forums? I'm out of
full-time work at the moment, so saving up is difficult.

Also, I was at an auction the other day and there were some straight razors that went for really cheap.
Is it worth taking a gamble on things like this, hoping that you get something good? I have no clue when it comes to the older razors.

Thanks for your time!

Hi pitrik,

Welcome to the SRP forum, glad to have you with us. It's absolutely alright to enter the giveaway, hope you win.

Buying razors at auctions, antique stores, etc., etc. can sometimes pay off, but you really need to study up on what to look for. Condition of a lot of the old razors can make them virtually unusable, but sometimes there's a diamond hidden in there.

Read up in the wiki linked below and look at the forums like the workshop, etc. and you'll see posts of razors guys have found. You'll get an idea of what to look for and what to walk away from. Don't get in too big of a hurry and waste some of that money you're saving up for a sure thing. and again, Welcome!!

Regards,
Howard

Oh, thanks for the quick reply! I've read some of the wiki already, is the "good straight razor brands" list something that I could go off for these vintage razors?

I'll try to temper my enthusiasm, I guess I've just thought about it on and off for many years, and I'd love to get started. I won't do something rash though. Thanks for the advice.

Patrick

Hi,
The Shave Of The Day forum is a great place to check out if you want to see a nice lineup of razors; vintage and otherwise. It might give you some ideas for a brand or style you may want to track down?

Hi Patrick and welcome to SRP!

The good brands list is a good start.

There is also the list of brands of razors to avoid. IMHO it's even more important to familiarize yourself with this list as it's possible to unearth an underrated gem that won't appear on a 'good brands' list (I have a great little "R.J. Roberts Parabola" razor that I bought because it looked cool. It is an excellent shaver and as far as I can tell is a completely unknown brand), but you can be pretty sure that anything on the following list will be either garbage or very close to it:

Brands of Straight Razors to avoid - Straight Razor Place Wiki

By 'garbage' I mean that there is a very high probability that the razor will either not take or not hold a good shaving edge. When that happens you end up with an expensive letter opener.

So steer clear of anything on that list, make yourself aware of the good makers, and just as importantly read lots here to familiarize yourself with things to look out for in used razors, such as:

- cracks or nicks on the blade
- cell rot
- frowning edge
- BAD rust vs. the not too bad kind
- excessive honewear

And best of luck on the draw!

Look at the Brands to Avoid list for sure.
Brands of Straight Razors to avoid - Straight Razor Place Wiki
My first razor is now a letter opener. I didn't save much. My first brush shed faster than my cat. My first strop is now my first strops because I cut it in half. The soap went well but the bowl cracked in half. I did buy my next razors on e-bay and I just went with what looked good and got lucky. Then I came here and found out what I needed to know from the beginning. Now I am just a happy shaver .

Originally Posted by pitrik

Oh, thanks for the quick reply! I've read some of the wiki already, is the "good straight razor brands" list something that I could go off for these vintage razors?

I'll try to temper my enthusiasm, I guess I've just thought about it on and off for many years, and I'd love to get started. I won't do something rash though. Thanks for the advice.

Patrick

The list is a nice guide for which brands are worth consideration, but a good brand in very bad condition is still a razor that may be best avoided. Things to look for are excessive and/or uneven hone wear on the spine. Rust pitting on the edge and bevel, a razor with a frown, and really just a plethora of other issues. Take some time, keep reading and looking through the forum, and you'll start to pick up on all these things. It's hard to wait, isn't it?

Howard

WHOA!! Hold the phone Patrick. You're in Ottawa?

PM me and I'll set you up with a shave-ready razor to try out. Can't have someone in my city going razorless!!

And what's with all these Ottawans popping up on the forum?? This is great!