Thread: Hard to walk away from.

Personally i think it has some charm about it as it is but as tristan said, it's your razor.

Excellent razor, and very cool that you were able to dicker a bit with the price. The big antique malls I go to, you either take it or leave it. The price has to be over $300 for them to even consider calling the owner.

A razor that nice, I'd restore to original like Jamie said. I've done wood scales in the past and really haven't liked them. Original is always better, that's just my opinion though. Won't change the amazing shave you'll get from it.

Also very cool that you got the kick ass box with it. Also very rare in that condition.

HarryWally: You have an interesting perspective about take it or leave it. In generally I don't believe most antique dealers really know that much. They look in books at pristine items that list at high dollars and they believe they can get that or more. Interestingly enough, for two years now I have been looking at a razor at a collective shop. The razor is ivory scales, but the blade requires a lot of work, nicks and stain. The dealer wanted $60 for it. I had my magnifying glass with me and was looking it over and was pointing out flaws with the razor. I informed him and showed him the conditions and said $30 was the best that I could do. He rejected my offer. I have been back to the collective and the razor is still there and will catch him and ask him if he would reconsider my offer. Which he rejected. He replied that because it was old it was worth what he was asking. I told him I have been coming back here for two years now and you haven't sold it. I said any informed customer would never purchase the razor at that price. I will probably never get it because of our attitudinal difference. I am going to presume he will never sell it to me as I have probably offended him at his price. Right under his nose, which he wrote up I bought three razors. Two and $20 each and they far exceeded his in quality as they were pristine. They are R and FR.THOMAS SOLINGEN-WALD with a number 65 stamped on the tang. The tang and tail are rib cut top and bottom. The spine has decoration and says "Thursday". The other one I bought was a Joseph Allen and Sons Sheffield England. I also have a "Friday" and "Saturday". The two R. and FR THOMAS plus the other (which was in much better condition than his) totaled $45. I only stropped the R and FR THOMAS' and they cut marvelously.
It seems as if dealers believe they can get whatever they want and that the public is just simply illiterate about their goods. So I would have to agree with you. A dealer could ask "WHAT!!" and just because it is old and in shape beyond recognition they think it is gold. Now this does not preclude knowledgeable dealers. I know I sound somewhat arrogant, but this kind of stuff really disturbs me. The adage "The customer is always right" does not apply to Antique Dealers! Yes it does seem to be a take it or leave it situation.

Just curious and looking for a perspective. How do you determine fair price? As for me $125 seems a bit much for such a tool. Now I recognize I am quiet ignorant on these matters. For me, if what you are showing has not been cleaned up, I would have offered $75 which I am, to some degree of certainty. You did not pay. Now this is just my opinion and I offered only $75 just because of what I am garnering from this site.

Originally Posted by Glock27

Just curious and looking for a perspective. How do you determine fair price? As for me $125 seems a bit much for such a tool. Now I recognize I am quiet ignorant on these matters. For me, if what you are showing has not been cleaned up, I would have offered $75 which I am, to some degree of certainty. You did not pay. Now this is just my opinion and I offered only $75 just because of what I am garnering from this site.

I actually talked him down to $80.00. I felt $125.00 was way too high and pointed out the flaws. They had it marked "firm" but knocked off almost 40% after I talked to them. I've picked up some great razors in antique shops and usually do better than eBay prices. If they won't budge on a high price, I walk away.

My friend, I know exactly what you're talking about. My friends TriliumLT, Mcbladescar and I had this very conversation on our long drive down to Michigan. I see blades all the time at antique stores priced in the $60-$70 range, fancy celluloid scales and I get excited. I find the girl to open the cabinet, pull the blade from the fancy scales to find a blade with dime sized chips. I usually swear a bit in my head and say, "no thanks" and had it back.

Another little story, one of the big local antique shows.... and I mean big, has a vendor that always has a bunch of straight razors. Most are generally priced well with some being on the higher side. But he has one blade, a round nose 6/8 Puma in faux Tortoise scales. Very nice blade..... if it wasn't being attacked by cell rot!!!!! He's had it for years, and each year I see it the cell rot is getting worse and worse. He's got a price tag on it of $300 or some ludicrous price close to that. I talked to him a few years back and offered a substantially lower price and he said, "but it's a Puma." I replied, it's also suffering from something called cellrot, where the old Celluloid off gasses and causes the steel to deteriorate and rust. It needs to be removed from those scales..... He looked at me like I had 4 heads and said, "I don't think so."

That was that, and I moved along.

Originally Posted by Glock27

Just curious and looking for a perspective. How do you determine fair price? As for me $125 seems a bit much for such a tool. Now I recognize I am quiet ignorant on these matters. For me, if what you are showing has not been cleaned up, I would have offered $75 which I am, to some degree of certainty. You did not pay. Now this is just my opinion and I offered only $75 just because of what I am garnering from this site.

For me, I look at the razor as a restored razor, not a crapy rusty, a lot of work project, and then decide if it's worth buying or not. I restore my own blades, so some I have no problem spending a little more money on. Especially if it's rare.

I always tell my wife, these will never..... never lose their value.... never.

That being said, you need to know what you're looking at too. Hone wear and rust on the edge are always the major concern. Scales are not an issue cause they can be replaced. You need to know when to walk away too.

Doesn't that just grind you. That kind of arrogance is simply astounding, they act as if they have all the knowledge in the world. I am wagering he had absolutely no idea of what cell rot was. There is a quote I like so much. It goes "Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever." (Aristophanes), and again, "Stupid is as stupid does".
Was that in upper, mid or lower Michigan.

No, this place is located south of Toronto. We were discussing this matter on the way to Michigan for a meet up.