Opinion on this razor?

Hi there,

I'm new to the world of straight shaving; currently using a DE but eager to try a straight razor... just need to buy a quality one without breaking the bank.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from the looks of it, for a given quality, a good condition vintage razor seems to be a fair bit less expensive than a new one? The trick, of course, is to ensure that the vintage one is in good condition.

This one caught my eye on ebay from Shumate's

Vintage Shumate'S Barber Straight Razor Shumate Razor CO | eBay

Can anyone offer an opinion on whether its likely to be a good razor?

I love Shumates! They are a great shaver but I would be a little hesitant on this one due to the pitting so close to the edge on the first picture. It may hone out just fine but without being able to look at it in person I would personally pass on it. Someone else should come along that has more experience with judging the quality of pictures though so I may be completely wrong.

same basic opinion as McBrautigam, when you buy used razors from pictures there is always a risk that it will be better or worse than the pictures. That being said it is all about how much you are willing to gamble. If it goes low enough I would gamble on that.

It's hard to tell just how bad the pitting is. If you can get it cheap enough it would be worth the gamble. In general Shumate's are really good work horse razors. They take a great edge, as most vintage American razors do.

Thanks for the advice - I'll let it pass I think.

If you lived by me I'd go get you one. The local trading post by me has 5 or 6 schumate's. I'd shave right these with a couple too they're all still in great shape. And none over $40 look around straights are out in the wild. Just gotta ask around and dig through some less than desirables. Good luck!