Thread: buying an old razor

Every once in a while when in antique shops i will see old straight edges, i have been hesitant to buy because i dont know what to look for in an old razor, any tips what to look for, red flags, and cost. I have seen many for $10-20 and the low sticker price has scared me off. What should i be on the lookout for?

Here is a Beginners Tips Article I did on just that subject, it is a good start

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...tml#post736914

Watch for bad hone wear, chips, cracks, bad rusting, black corrosion & buy the rest
Of course that is just my method
I once got a W&B Chopper for $10
dont let low price scare you
Sometimes there's a bargain to be found.
Take a look at the show and tell section here and review the comments you see from long time members.
Then, buy the ones they like
Mike

When I first joined this forum (a couple of weeks ago) the Beginner's Guide helped me a lot.

Purchasing straight razors - Straight Razor Place Wiki

so the light red rust can be sanded off, but walk away from the black spots.

Black stuff runs deep IME, makes swiss cheese of edges. Not worth my bother.
Red can sometimes come off with a fingernail. not always.i dont like rust at all. particularly Cell rot. Run from that.
Mike

cool, thanks for the info.