Thread: Current Market for Razors (been out of it a while)

Hey guys. Hope you are all doing well.
Haven't posted in a long time and my restoration projects are on hold. Got a different job, got a baby, and life happens!

Basically, I was wondering if market is slower for razors than it was a few years ago. I've looked at some auctions lately and razors I thought would have brought $30+ went for $7 or didn't even get bid on. Maybe I'm way off base and completely wrong. Seems like some of the popular names and the +1" blades still bring quite a bit.

Local guy on another forum wanted help appraising a bunch of razors he bought from an estate sale I tried to help him out since he didn't know anything about them. Helped him sort most of them out (originally 100+) but need to go back and go into more detail with him. Looking at auctions right now though some of them may not be worth as much as I originally thought.
Got a couple dozen "keepers" that are in a nice shape. Think the largest was 7/8 or 6/8.

He gave me a display case of razors that got exposed to moisture or 1+ of them has celluloid rot. If I get on my computer and figure out my old image hosting accounts I'll post them in another thread. Looks like a few of them are salvageable or at least have nice scales.


Thanks everyone!

Yes, we seem to be in a declining price trend. Maybe the popularity has fallen off again.

Maybe because I stopped buying everything I saw. [emoji23]

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It's cyclical and certain times of the year are worse

Welcom back. Acquisition disorders emptied our wallets.

It's been worse, it's been better. I noticed prices to have gone a bit down where I live. But not as near where the prices were before SR shaving got 'widely popular'.

Certain seller are aware certain type razors have gone for quite some money so they still ask premium prices, it's mostly a brand game from my experience.
Certain brands, NOS razors and bigger razors can still go for a heft price imo; unless you're lucky, I once got a seriously beat-up Bartmann (cell rott, pitting etc.) for very cheap at a time it was very hard to get one for a relatively decent price.

I usually buy 'beat up' razors without any functional damage for cheap. I'm not spending more than 20 euros for a razor, unless it's from a modern day maker.
I once bought mostly NOS razors, but it became a bit too pricey for me.

I can't find myself paying more than 20 euros for one currently, because I have enough (read 4 daily shavers in rotation, and plenty more to restore), unless it's something I really """"want""".

Only one razor I lately paid a little more for and that was because it was the same type of razor I inherited from my GGF, that's probably an emotional thing and was a completely irrational purchase.
Although I don't often see that type of brand razors being sold. (It was the Mandarin brand from Goedecke Solingen)

All that being said, my favorite buys just remain 'lesser known' Solingen brands, quality builds and still plenty of them being sold for cheap, fun little restoration projects mostly.

OTOH, premium brand vintage type hones have the same trend going on I notice, I can only think of one though, Eschers will probably never be had for very cheap, prices do seem to go up and down.
It's a market after all and it fluctuates as you'd think it would. And it's a bidding thing where I go mostly, sometimes you get "lucky and sometimes not that much. That's the fun with bidding and also the negative. Demand and supply n'at.


Congrats on the new job and congrats to you and the wife with the baby!

haven't noticed any difference myself but i get mine all from antique stores and flea markets where people generally don't keep up with the price trends. Hope it's true though as it would be good for us who still love razors!

Thanks for the info so far guys. Thanks for the congratulations Tristan.
Daughter turns 1 later this month!
I was going to sell some out of my small collection to get some cash together, but it looks like I might not be able to get much out of them right now. Since I don't have a place to work on razors I'm trying to avoid razors that need a lot of work now.

Originally Posted by tintin

haven't noticed any difference myself but i get mine all from antique stores and flea markets where people generally don't keep up with the price trends. Hope it's true though as it would be good for us who still love razors!

I used the go shopping at a lot of shops, but seems like the only ones find anymore are overpriced, even if they're busted.
Did luck out and find a small KaBar cleaver for about $3 earlier this year! Got a Twin Henckels cleaver for $20.

There seem to be plenty razors around to satisfy demand. Especially many new manufacturers. I also have the feeling that the popularity of brands fluctuates. IME e.g. Pumas are less popular than they used to be, Filarmonicas being very popular ATM.

Noticed that about Pumas! I don’t quite get it, but I guess it’s fortunate, since they are some of the best vintage razors ever made.