Thread: Blade or Scales

When looking for a razor from a collectible standpoint which is more important the blade itself or the scales (if decorated with inlays or nice bolsters).I see a lot of things I like but blade manufacturers mean a little to me but looks are more what I go by.And I'm a sucker for a blond especially with a little shine.Just looking for some opinions on how others do it and what they look for .

It depends on the blade and the scales and what you're interested in. There are razors with trashed blades in "highly sought after" scales that sell on ebay for hundreds, and I'm sure an amazing blade in terrible scales (or even scaleless) would too.

My interests are a bit of both, because I don't like having to do or pay for much work to my blades. Would I buy a really nice blade in terrible scales? Yes, but I'd factor in the cost of the rescale. Would I buy a razor with a shot blade but immaculate scales? Only if I had another blade lined up to put into those scales.

It depends .
some people collect handles
Others don't care about handles they collect blades.
Now choose which you are belong.

I pay more attention to the blade. The scales are not that important to me, but of course I like seeing some nice horn scales, for ex.

I only care about the blade, not the scales.

My mother is a semi professional book restorer. She has chosen the classical route to bookbinding, and is now a respected restorer. She tells me that a properly restored book with new bindings is much more valuable and collectable than the damaged original. There are only a handful of exceptions to that rule, and they are not the kind of book anyone would ever see outside of a museum. As long as the pages are not missing, she can increase the value.

I have the same with razors (my mother and I really understand each other in our passion for restoration). As long as the blade is structurally sound, I know I can restore it to as good as new condition, and I don't care about originality of the scales.

I have to agree. I have bought several junkers off of ebay in hopes of making my own scales simply because I know them to be made with good steel. The scales are superficial, the real value of a razor (at least to the user) lies in the steel it is made of.

Gentlemen,

The blade is the body and the scale the clothes.

You can always put on new clothes.

The body? Well . . .

Regards,

Obie

A beautiful blade is complimented by beautiful scales.
For me, they go hand in hand.

Like the Vermonter's say...Apple pie without the cheese, is like a kiss without the squeeze.

Marc

I have a book on the topic of straight razor collecting. It goes into the history of straight, scale composition and approximate value. The value (at least according to this book) is based on the maker and the scales. The condition of the blade is not a consideration. So, for the straight collector the scales and maker are important. For the shaver, the blade is important. For collectors that are shavers and vice versa, they are both important. (Take all this with a grain of salt. There's not a collector out there that won't go weak in the knees over a rare straight in NOS or mint condition.)

Perhaps replacing the binding of a book may increase it's value to a collector, but replacing the scales (with new scales or custom scales) on a straight will decrease it's value to a collector (it may increase the value to a shaver).

For me, the blade is paramount; I'm a shaver, not a collector. That's not to say that I won't buy a straight with a trashed blade that has nice scales, I will, but only to reuse the scales on another blade.

As you have seen already this forum is made up of mostly shavers, so we a in general going to be BLADE men...

There are others that prowl E-bay and other places that are SCALE men and collect with not a care in the world of the condition of the steel...

If your are a shaver then it is all in the steel...