I've seen some of those comments about quality, too. Le Grelot seems to be one of those hot or cold models: people love the shave and style, but some have quality issues. I'm hoping for the best, we'll see.
The razor I purchased was honed by Lynn, so I have confidence in the edge. Hopefully the edge is also flat and straight so I can hone it successfully in the future. As for the scales--they're natural, so I'm comfortable with some imperfection. But if they're out-and-out defective, that would be a problem.
Thanks for the wishes.