Thread: OVERPRICED !!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Since you are a collector of other things you know that knowledge is power. Learn about straights, watch the market and you'll know when you're seeing a decent deal. Avoid RAD if you can... it is a slippery slope.

ok jimmy, tell me how to get off this slippery slope...also is this slope any slippery than that HAD slope you are on my friend?

HAD is like glare ice.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

HAD is like glare ice.

i will try and throw you a rope as i slide past

While it seems it is a rip off the reverse is true. While ignorant people price things way too high, they also price them way too low. Mint FWE Leader=$40, Two NOS Solingens=$20 each, 8/8 Tally Ho= $60, minty Hess 42=$30, the deals are out there you just have to be patient lol.

Carry a pocket loupe with you. It works. I have had someone tout the finer points of a razor in mildly passable condition to me recently, but upon pulling out the loupe and showing them the flaws, and showing them the razor in MUCH better condition that I had purchased a few minutes earlier at another booth (with the price tag still on, and lower than their asking price) I walked away with a Wostenholm for $10. They were asking $40. It always helps to tell someone who knows squat about razors "Do you know how OLD this thing is?"

Not that I am advocating the fleecing of a vendor, but you do have to take measures to break even at the register, you know? Between Sweeny Todd and zazzle.com selling Wade & Butcher shirts we are getting taken to the cleaners due to this new popularity.

The real slippery sloap is SSAD and SCAD, especially if you live on a hill...

No doubt there's seriously overpriced crap out there.

In fact I remember one of my first posts was about this issue. I was at a local flea market when I found an old grumpy German guy who sold "straight razors". He dumped out his collection from a plastic grocery store bag, and it was full of useless old pitted, rusted 1/8" razors. Yes folks, that's correct: 1/8"!!!

He wanted $30 a piece. I wasn't impressed, so he told me he could go down to Calgary (Alberta's other major city, about 3 hours south) and sell them for $90! He actually thought he was doing me a favor.

Hmmmm..... that makes me wonder.... maybe I should buy one for $30 and send it to Lynn for a challenge. If it turns out I could start a trend

I know what you mean, I see it in every antique shop. You are not always stuck with the price that is on the tag. I always ask for a discount. No matter what the price reads, always ask if the seller will sell for a lower price. I have walked away with some great deals. As far as chipped blades, broken scales, and burley rust, I don't even bother with them buckled ass razor's!
One other thing, I never photo before shot's of the razor's I restore.

heh, ya, 350 for wasted razors? People are morons...

Originally Posted by khaos

While it seems it is a rip off the reverse is true. While ignorant people price things way too high, they also price them way too low. Mint FWE Leader=$40, Two NOS Solingens=$20 each, 8/8 Tally Ho= $60, minty Hess 42=$30, the deals are out there you just have to be patient lol.

Pretty much this. I have some experience with antique books, and I see the same thing you do.

People trying to push off beat-to-hell pulps for 3 times what they're actually worth.

But I also see people practically giving away mint 1st editions of Hitchhiker's Guide.

People who don't understand what they're selling will wildly mis-price their wares, in either direction. If you keep your eyes peeled, you will eventually run across a gem of a razor that they're selling for a fraction of what it's worth.

Another thing to consider is that from what I can tell, a lot of the people who collect straights don't actually intend to use them. This is evident from the fact that there are apparently people who collect Zeepks. What other reason could they be doing it for?

So if all you want is some cool old blades that look pretty on a shelf, you're not really going to mind if they'd be virtually impossible to restore to usable condition. As long as you can get them looking ok, it doesn't really matter. And that's probably got something to do with it too. The guy selling them doesn't see that there's a huge crack in the blade. He just sees that it wouldn't be too hard to polish up and stick a new pin in there, and at that point it would look ok in a showcase.