Thread: Are there deals in the future?

I have been hitting the antique shops again and hearing the same thing, young adults asking about straight razors... Ebay prices are all kinds of jacked up... Antique shops putting stupid prices on garbage and being completely picked over.

So... When the hipsters find something else to make them cool will we see a flood of razors to the market or do you suspect they will all be completely destroyed and tossed out by then?

They never seem to dry up on ebay after years of watching it. I keep seeing various members posting great stuff they are finding in antique shops. A few weeks ago a member found a yellow/green Escher for $22.00. ..... on sale no less.

Do you really think it's non shaving enthusiasts buying them? I don't think so personally. The ones I've seen or bought haven't been in good shape or with interesting scales even. Usually they're tucked away behind the counter too and the owners seemed relieved and willing to bargain with me on prices.

I'm completely out of the loop on what the youngsters think is cool other than it seems to me anything related to death and violence.

I'm one that does not think razor prices are crazy. Sure, razors damaged or almost damaged beyond repair with "high" price tags are not warranted; however, vintage razors that are in excellent or "minty" condition high priced? No way IMO.

1) Sheffield razors, the myriad of Solingen razor variety and the many U.S. made razors....will never be made again and with each pasing year, they will become harder to find as such.
2) Not to put down Dovo, TI or Revisor, Wacker or Hart in the least, I'd argue that vintage excellent condition or "minty" razors easily equal high priced new production razors in quality. Depending on the vintage razor, again, in my opinion, many vintage razors even spank new production razors up and down the block in looks, design and quality.

Chris L

Originally Posted by RobertH

Do you really think it's non shaving enthusiasts buying them? I don't think so personally. The ones I've seen or bought haven't been in good shape or with interesting scales even. Usually they're tucked away behind the counter too and the owners seemed relieved and willing to bargain with me on prices.

Around here they are apparently an extremely hot item. One shop I frequent on a fairly regular basis always has someone going through the jar when I am there... The other stores I have checked out have some I would pay $10 for but they are marked $100 unless they are rusty or chipped. If that is the case they are $50. I saw an empty W&B box at one for $60(the tag said empty box but I checked anyway).

I see the pictures people post of their scores and it just makes me wonder where the heck they live.

How the heck am I supposed to develop RAD to the levels of you guys with this kind of market! :P

Originally Posted by ChrisL

I'm completely out of the loop on what the youngsters think is cool other than it seems to me anything related to death and violence.

I'm one that does not think razor prices are crazy. Sure, razors damaged or almost damaged beyond repair with "high" price tags are not warranted; however, vintage razors that are in excellent or "minty" condition high priced? No way IMO.

1) Sheffield razors, the myriad of Solingen razor variety and the many U.S. made razors....will never be made again and with each pasing year, they will become harder to find as such.
2) Not to put down Dovo, TI or Revisor, Wacker or Hart in the least, I'd argue that vintage excellent condition or "minty" razors easily equal high priced new production razors in quality. Depending on the vintage razor, again, in my opinion, many vintage razors even spank new production razors up and down the block in looks, design and quality.

Chris L

You are a good 10-15 years out of date. Today green, old, vintage, ect are the things to be into. Straight razors, converse high tops, fidoras, ect are the things to have.

Originally Posted by DustinW

Around here they are apparently an extremely hot item. One shop I frequent on a fairly regular basis always has someone going through the jar when I am there...

His name is ChrisL. Introduce yourself the next time you see him and tell him Jimmy said hello.

Rather than go to antique stores in the metro that are going to be overpriced, grab one of the free antique gazettes and figure out when you can go to some of the larger shows; hundreds of antique dealers in one place. The biggest, that I've never been to is near Rochester at the Olmstead Cty fairgrounds? That's already happened this year, but go next year. Grand Rapids is supposed to have a big one, etc.

Just be prepared to see a ton of worthless crap and look for a few diamonds in the rough and start to bargain.

Chris L

In my opinion, deals will become fewer and farther between as time goes on. This will be true for both ebay and antique shops.

It will be interesting to watch and see what happens!

Originally Posted by DustinW

You are a good 10-15 years out of date. Today green, old, vintage, ect are the things to be into. Straight razors, converse high tops, fidoras, ect are the things to have.

I'd picture that kind of stuff to be more popular in Uptown?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

His name is ChrisL. Introduce yourself the next time you see him and tell him Jimmy said hello.

Ha! Actually, as crazy as it sounds, I've never yet gone to an antique store in Mpls St. Paul area proper. I hit most of the other parts of the state since I travel for business fairly frequently. I spot shops on the way to appointments and you can bet I stop at them on the way home!


Either way, it does take work to collect straight razors, nice ones. To really build am impressive collection with high quality excellent condition razors, it's almost like a part time job. You either pay with money, time or both. I know someone personally who is a pro, a true pro at keeping his ear to the ground on spending a lot of time on Ebay, local sales, estate, etc. He has the luxury of being able to devote a ton of time toward looking and he scores great deals because of it.


Chris L