Good points, and if I did get something off eBay I would do so in the knowledge that I'd likely not be able to restore it to shaving condition. And I doubt I would get more than a couple just to see how they were made and the geometry and such without worrying about damaging a valuable razor. I try to do the same with old knives and axes, just never could afford most of them, but there are gems out there that tell a tale of how they were constructed and how the owners used them.