Thread: "Shave ready"???

Won this razor on eBay.
The description concluded with, "....and its SHAVE READY!" Then I joined SRP. Then I received the razor so I looked closely at the edge with and 10x loupe and thought I'd share before just lathering up to see what flies. Any thoughts? Thanks! The top pic is a much larger file - best for zooming in on. Use Ctrl + "+"

From the pics:

I would say it has been honed, whether it is shave ready or not only your beard will tell...

From the second pic when zooming in, I can see a chip at the heel and about 1/4 in from the left appears to be a small chip and again, just before halfway from the left is another. This could be the lighting and as Glen said it does look honed, but whether it is shave ready is for you to determine.

Thanks, fellas. Yes there are 3 small chips but since I haven't used a straight razor, yet, I wasn't sure if a razor could still show chips and be shave ready at the same time. I have a professionally restored/honed 5/8 Bostwick in route to me so maybe I'll start with it, just the same.

I'm getting the feeling like this honing business is kinda like packing parachutes so maybe I should start in on learning to hone.....

You don't want to put a razor with chips visible to the naked eye, anywhere near your face. It will do damage to your face. It will also scratch your strop. Send it out for a honing - if you're in the UK I'll do it for you.

Originally Posted by Scipio

You don't want to put a razor with chips visible to the naked eye, anywhere near your face. It will do damage to your face. It will also scratch your strop. Send it out for a honing - if you're in the UK I'll do it for you.

Thanks but this is not the case - chips only visible w/10x loupe - I'll wait til I get my other razor (The Bostwick), learn to shave with it and then compare the one in question.

yeah, the razor was honed and yeah that's a chip alright. i personally wouldn't shave with such razor (my face can definitely tell even smaller ones), but i would see the chip without magnification as well - you just need a bit of experience.
the guy who honed it clearly is either new to honing or not very discriminate.

I can't tell but sometimes you'll get like a flat spot in the edge which can look like a chip. Usually the giveaway is it's only on one side of the razor. A chip is on both sides.

Hi Bernie. 'Grats for choosing quality in your shaving.

I'm prob a bit like others, in that I'm doubtful of 'shave readiness' from a fleabay acquisition. This is a bit compounded by the fact that without another known 'shave ready' razor, how can you judge the quality of the edge? Compared to what?

Now with that said, I see the issue of a possible chip a bit differently. While no one wants them, I'm not at all afraid to shave with them. I've had a few blades that had chips that shaved wonderfully. I sold a blade to an experienced shaver - highlighting in the ad that there was a small nick in the edge. I heard from the buyer last night - who said he's loving the shaves. That's the only other person I've heard from that agrees with me - that a nick is not the kiss of death for an edge. I'll go pretty far to avoid blades w/ nicks, but that's a pride of ownership issue w/ me more than being afraid the nick will tear up my face.

That razor looks OK to me . Shave with it , then pass your judgment . If it gives you a good shave , keep it . If it doesn't , return it , and get your money back .