Thread: Where are the inexpensive razors?

A little background first. I'm a newbie to the world of straight razor shaving. I got tired of buying the expensive cartridges for my gillette, and decided to give SR a shot. I bought an inexpensive shavette to test the waters with, and despite a lot of razor burn and a nicked up face, I really like the process and the attention needed to get a good shave.
I'm currently doing some research and stashing away money to purchase a better razor/brush/strop/soap setup.

Is it possible to get a decent quality (maybe not shave ready) straight razor for under $10.
whenever I google straight razor I keep running into these stories about people being able to find straight razors and pawn shops, or thrifts stores for $3 and less. Does that happen.

I thought I was finding bargains in the classified section on this website, but is it true? Can straight razors be bought that cheap?

There are some deals on cheap razors, but after paying for honing and shipping it's going to cost a lot more than that. Now if you can find a free honing offer that would help.

Also many razors you might see in antique malls or flea markets are inexpensive for a reason (or not), needing chips honed out of the blade, new scales to replace the broken ones, and lots of time and elbow grease to clean up the blade.
While there are deals out there, sellers are looking to eBay for pricing guides and think their trashed Boker is worth as much as a pristine shave ready Boker. Or they may be like my late mother-in-law in thinking anything old is valuable.
Now if you add a 0 behind that 3, there are decent blades to be found in the various BST forums.

Even if you somehow manage to find a decent razor for $3. Add $20 plus shipping to get it honed.

Doesnt a package of fusion blades cost more than $10?

Originally Posted by freyguy

A little background first. I'm a newbie to the world of straight razor shaving. I got tired of buying the expensive cartridges for my gillette, and decided to give SR a shot. I bought an inexpensive shavette to test the waters with, and despite a lot of razor burn and a nicked up face, I really like the process and the attention needed to get a good shave.
I'm currently doing some research and stashing away money to purchase a better razor/brush/strop/soap setup.

Is it possible to get a decent quality (maybe not shave ready) straight razor for under $10.
whenever I google straight razor I keep running into these stories about people being able to find straight razors and pawn shops, or thrifts stores for $3 and less. Does that happen.

I thought I was finding bargains in the classified section on this website, but is it true? Can straight razors be bought that cheap?

I have found razors for as little as $10 in antique shops, but they require more labor and materials to get them shave ready. It would actually be cheaper in the long run for you to get a shave ready razor from someone like Kenrup or SRD.

I think that with little luck you might find decent razors under 10 bucks from flea markets, but you have to recognize what is a decent razor and what is not, or is the condition of the razor worth trying to make it a good shaver.

Forget eBay for now. Straight shaving seems to become quite popular, and currently people are paying brainless amount of money for some razor brands.
I would recommend you to watch classifieds where you can still find shave ready razors with reasonable price.

Originally Posted by TheBaron

It would actually be cheaper in the long run for you to get a shave ready razor from someone like Kenrup or SRD.

+1. Just check the classifieds and be patient. Several folks on this forum will post good quality "starter" razors in shave-ready condition for $35 or so. If you want to spend $100+ on a brand new pre-honed razor, that's fine - but you don't need to.

A fleaBay special will run you about the same as buying a new razor when the dust settles. Figure $10-25 for a fixer-upper razor, then $40-60 to send it to someone for restoration (or time and effort spent on your own part), plus $20 for a decent honing, and you're up to the $100 you'd spend for a brand-new razor. What I'd advocate (for the newb) is to look for a good quality razor that isn't necessarily the most collectible brand. Sham, Holli, and others routinely post lower-cost shave ready razors in the classifieds here - that's where I would start.

To answer the question, "Where are the inexpensive razors?" they're in Pakistan. And they should stay there. My first straight cost me $4.00 and I threw it away after trying it a few times.

There are great buys in antique shops and flea markets and there are also crap razors there. As mentioned above straight shaving is getting popular and it is reflected on eBay by the prices. Antique shops here have been raising their prices also but not as much as eBay.

With local finds you have to invest time and travel costs. For me, I hone my own razors and if work is needed I do my own. There are still good finds in local shops if you are patient and invest a lot of time and travel into hitting the same shops over and over again. Remember, you are not the only looking for these deals.

Finding a great razor at a great price takes some combination of leg work and luck. You also have to know what you're looking for. Slart is right when he mentions that you will most likely have to pay to have your razor honed. As a result, you can save yourself time and not spend too much more if you buy a shave ready razor off the classifieds.