After reading through the forums, watching the videos I decided to pick up a second razor. I opted for a Dovo 5/8 Gentlemen from our sponsor SRD. Looking forward to furthering my experience with my 6/8 hollow and the new 5/8 for many years to come.
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After reading through the forums, watching the videos I decided to pick up a second razor. I opted for a Dovo 5/8 Gentlemen from our sponsor SRD. Looking forward to furthering my experience with my 6/8 hollow and the new 5/8 for many years to come.
Welcome, you should join us in the SOTD (shave of the day) then.Quote:
Originally Posted by Atlas1911
And we all like pics, you should post some pics of your razors. [emoji6]
There are so many different grinds and sizes out there. After a very short while I wanted to try something different, and wound up with many different types and sizes and grinds of razors. They are all great. I love the collecting.
So many choices in this sport. Different razor sizes, grinds, vintage vs. modern, and then the customs. Plus you have all the various choices between brushes, strops, soaps, shaving creams, pre-shaves, aftershave balms, etc.
Lord help you if you get into honing and develop hone acquisition disorder (HAD). Don't leave your wallet unguarded! ;)
Where can you go to find out the collectability of razors? I've seen the book on e bay, is it any good?
In the beginning, I ended up with more razors than straight razor shaves. I was about 5 shaves in, and had 8 razors. I tend to jump into things head first...
I'll say the addiction is real. I always wanted to learn to shave with a straight razor. About six months ago I surfed into SRP and started reading the forums. I had no idea how addicting this could be, and my wife is still upset about that. Learning to use a Straight razor wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. After a half a dozen cuts and 911 on speed dial I was good to go. I already had a bunch DE and SE safety razors (Sorry about that, I didn't mean to get vulgar...It was just a slip.) Thanks to you guys and all the great post on SRP today I have a some nice vintage straight razors as well. I decided to join today so I could thank you all and say Hello from St. Louis MO.
I think there are a few different ways of looking at it. Some razors are rare, and hard to find, which from my perspective makes them very collectable. Razors from the late 17's is a good example. They are not easy to find in reasonable condition, but typically are not worth a lot of money. There are others that are relatively easy to find and there are a lot around but they sell for crazy amounts of money. There are newer blades that are hard to find that do sell for a decent amount. With collecting all this ebbs and flows. I have not been collecting for very long but have definitely seen some trends. Puma razors were hot hot hot not that long ago. They seem to be available for a little less now than a couple years ago, but still have a fair value. Fillis seem to have never really come down. Some of the models you hardly ever see for sale anymore. I think if you wrote a book about razor market values it would be out of date by the time it was printed. Just watch and see what is rare. Some thing become hard to find. Guillermo Hoppe razors used to be fairly abundant but I have not seen many in the usual spot for a while. It all changes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerdvaark
I don't have any straight razor books, so I can't comment on that. I agree with RezDog, rare razors can be very collectable if you can find and afford them. About six months ago, being a newbie to the straight razor seen I had no idea what I wanted to purchase. So I decided to learn as much as possible about the history of straight razors and the company's that made them. I also wanted to learn what people were collecting and why. Doing this has been very time consuming but not really all that difficult. I started reading through all the the straight razor forums and websites starting with SRP. If you have the time to dig for it, there really is a lot of free knowledge out there. You can also check out online Razor stores and ebay. On ebay you can put things on your watch list and see what other people are buying and not buying, and what their willing to pay for it. Granted, just because someone drops $500 -$1000 on a vintage 1 inch + chopper doesn't mean that it was worth it, but it was to them. Enough time spent doing all of this you know will eventually no what razors you want in your collection and why. Also you will have a good idea what you will have to pay to get them. I realize that I'm just a newbie here and have much to learn (So to all you veterans out there, if I'm wrong about something feel free to call me out.) but for me a collectable razor is one that I have put on my short list for whatever reason. Vintage or new custom, sometimes I just see a Razor and know right off that I have to add it my collection. I mostly collect vintage straights 6/8 and up the older the better in very good to excellent condition. If a razor is stamped with the country of origin (Eng. or England for Sheffield razors) then it was made in or after 1891. Here is list of my personal favorite collectable sheffield razor manufactures you probably can't go wrong with as long the price and condition is right. Wostenholm, George Wostenholm & Sons Washington Works, Rockingham Works or before, Wade and Butcher, William Greaves, William Greaves & Sons before or after Sheaf Works, Joseph Rodgers & Sons, Joseph Elliot & Sons, John Nowill & Sons, John Barber, Clark and Hall, Bengall. My knowledge is mostly limited to English straights, but here is a short list of Solingen-Germany manufactures that you might be interested in. H.Boker & Co, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Pearlduck, Puma, dovo. Anyway, If I understood your question correctly, this should help. If not, maybe it will help someone else.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerdvaark
My name is Garnerpw and I'm an addict.
I can account to the addiction. Before my first straight razor shave I owned two. Two weeks in and I now own 5 razors.
Welcome Garnerpw!!!
The first step is admitting you have a problem :tu
This is a hobby that can get out of control fast, but worth it in my opinion
Enjoy and have fun!!!
No offense meant, I am a 12 stepper and friend of BillW
And don't come here looking for help with your addiction. Just a bunch of enablers here!
Funny. Glad to see I'm not alone
One nice thing about this type of addiction....it can be very cheap or as expensive as you want....lol.
I never said I had problem. Though my wife may say otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dieseld
Pssssst. Hey buddy (he says...opening his jacket). Wanna buy a Wade & Butcher?
@ vsteel
The Dubl Duck company, Bresnick, and Pearlson, names may be off a little, were importers. They did import a lot of German blades for sure, but they were not a German company. There were a few importers that had very nice blades produced for them. Other companies that did similar are C-Mon, Hess, and SRD, there are likely others too. Also there were a few large hardware establishments that did similar, like Shapliegh. It is an interesting area with no real records, and a lot of hmmmm.
Hey, I don't have one of those yet.
Thanks RezDog, that's good to know. Now that you mention it, I do believe I remember reading somewhere that Dubl Duck and Pearlson were importers. Like I said In my post, I've only been into straight razors for a short time. The vast majority of my research has been limited to Sheffield razors. I only just recently started to venture out into other areas. There is so much to learn, I don't know how you can keep it all straight in your head. Anyway, I do appreciate you taking the time to help me.Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
We in part learn from each other. Most of what I know I got from the interweb, and a giant chunk of that here. The other names I mentioned you might want keep half an eye on. They tend to sell fairly low and are top shelf razors. The SRD or S. R. Droescher, are very good and often go for very little.
I to have the addiction. I made up my mind I wanted to try all the modern and many vintage razors. I have purchased and sold many and kept ones I feel I enjoy. I also watched, read and asked about honing. Nothing like honing a razor from the bevel to the finished edge and then shaving with the razor. My favorites are Mastro Livi, Ralf Aust, Puma, Bengal and Krupps. I personally like the vintage Sheffields for shave smoothness and performance. Another good razor at a very reasonable price is Genco and Ontarios. American made, holds a great edge and gives a wonderful shave.
I have it doubly bad, I like to collect pairs! I pity those fellows who collect 7-day sets!
Cheers, Steve
I just cant stay away from razors with big blades and really cool scales.....customs get me everytime...lol.
“Where can you go to find out the collectability of razors?”
Go to the Razor section of the forum, and go into the Razor Clubs, sub section. Each club is filled with quality photos of razors and tons of info.
You can spend days there, and learn more, than you ever wanted to know.
Better than any Book, I have seen. Print books are usually out of date, in terms of collectability and values.
Welcome to the forum
Current collectability depends on current values, so that book is too dated IMO. FBU razors were fairly pricey in their day beacause they had a lot of steel in them (which was more valuable 100 years ago than now) but not that long ago you could buy them for $15-20.
A good general rule to follow on the collectability of anything is the original position of the product on the cost scale. If a product was designed and produced for people who wanted the best and were willing to pay for it 100 years ago, it's likely to be more valuable and desirable now. A razor that was made for rich people 100 years ago is far more likely to be collectable now than barber's razors or consumer razors, fads notwithstanding.
Cheers, Steve
Oh it's real... less than a month in... just this morning received my newest... a Dovo Inox Olivewood... it's beautiful!
(tried to upload a couple pics... but apparently I haven't figured that out yet)
Ha. I just used my new Dovo gentleman w olive wood over the weekend.
Oh yes sir, this is real. As far as razors go, like Steve56 I was a two of everything as far as new razors went. 2 Dovo Prima Klang, 3 Dovo Bismarck, 2 Dovo Grenadille, 3 Hart steel 7/8. 3 MoDoSo, 3 Dorko. I also have a few dozen more of various makes and origins. I've just ordered a Brandonisio 'Uno' 7/8 barber's notch that looks sensational. They send it pro honed so if it's as good as it looks, I'll be buying it's brother soon too. Then we come to hones. All I will say is in the last 6 Months sanity has prevailed and I sold 4 coticules a king Goldstone 8k a 15k Suehiro Gokumyo. Gave my son a budding straight shaver a couple of hones and a Kanayama #50000! And a Geissen & Forsthoff 6/8 shave ready for him to use, and a GD to muck round with. Now we come to my Achilles heel strops..I am a massive fan of the Kanayama strops. I began with a #10000, bought anothet #70000 as I wanted the suede piece. Bought another #70000 as a back up. Sold the #10000, replaced it with a #50000 with additional suede piece (the one I gave to my son). So now down the track I have my original everyday strop the #70000, two spare #70000, and I had to have the top if the line #80000. So I have stopped for the time being with 3 x #70000's and an #80000. I think I have sort of gotten things manageable for the moment. But as I said, I'm waiting for the Uno 7/8 to arrive, that could lead to another........dribble dribble.....lol. (it's my only vice, don't drink, don't smoke, no other hobbies, so onwards!)
Bobski, thank you for doing that for me, now I don't have to do it if I choose not to...:rofl2:
But you forgot to get a Kanayama #90000 (to truly corner the market on those fine strops).
:p
Dang. Now I see a #70000 in my future
I hear you about those strops. I have a daily driver Kanoyama 80000 that I bought new and a new one laid back. Also a 70000 which is a fine strop indeed, and a #3 which is unusually good. The used 80000, the 70000 and the three rotate. I have a 20000 that I use for travel in one of the 80000s cases. Wouldn't mind having another one or two...
Cheers, Steve
I love it, the one good thing is we are accumulating strops and not Mercedes Benz's...I do a fair bit of travelling and I took one of my #70000's. I must confess I have looked hard at the cheaper offering from Fendrihan, the #4560, the one with the handle. It's $110.00 tempting for travel use.....God what am I saying...lol
I was a recovering addict, following the birth of my son and growing of facial fuzz.
Spousal dislike of said fuzz caused a severe relapse.
My poor wife 😂