Yeah, it was an impulse buy...

Looking for an expert opinion on this razor that I just bought on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200029045652

I paid $42, and got it primarily to practice honing and stropping....

How badly did I get taken? (It's OK, I'm a big boy - I'll take my medicine if I did...) :o I know it's a lot for a practice rig, especially since you can't discern the condition of the blade (or the scales) from the photo.

I was actually going to ask for input from those in the know before I pulled the trigger, but what can I say - I got caught up in the moment! At least learning the hard way is still learning, right...? ;)

OMG... This is how RAD starts, isn't it?!? :gth

Man, I actually LIKE that one. You may have got yourself a nice bargain, in which case you'd need another junker as a learning prop. Don't bid over $10 though.

I'm no expert but I like the worked back and the round point. This was an expensive razor in its day, almost double the price of other good razors... However, I would not pay as much for it as you did simply because it's not calling me :) Which does not mean at all that you were taken, I really think you got it for a good price, given the market right now.

As Ilija said, I'd probably shave with this one and get an el cheapo practice blade. Heck, PM me if you want a free practice blade. Joe Chandler sent me one a month ago and I can pass it on to you. It's not bad at all, to be honest. I can see myself using it for business travel (if I am unwilling to risk my good blades being stolen, which is what I hear may happen :rant: )

Cheers
Ivo

IMHO too good for practicing honing only. Get it shave ready and enjoy it!

Nice razor. I'll trade you out of it if you don't want it. :D

P.S. PM me if you want it honed without practicing on it. I'm sure I've got one around here I could include with the return shipping for you to practice on...

All - thanks for the feedback. Looks like I may just get to be the lucky blind squirrel that finds the acorn here... ;)

I figure once I get it in hand, I'll give it a quick look over and try to assess the general condition. No idea what the hell it is I'd be looking for specifically, mind you, but just to make sure it doesn't disintegrate in my hand or have any overtly obvious cracks, pits, rust, rot, mange, etc.

And Joe - thanks for the offer. I may very well take you up on that. If the blade turns out to be actual Damascus steel - which would surprise me, frankly - then I wouldn't want to use it as a learning razor anyway. Let the pros handle it, I say! :)

It's not damascus steel by original or current definition. It may have been alloyed, but it is not folded steel. There is some good info at Wikapedia on damascus from what I remember...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by entropy

... If the blade turns out to be actual Damascus steel ...

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Now, I see you've done some homework but not enough. There is no way the steel is going to be what people now refer to as "Damascus" steel. This, however, dooes not mean the blade is not worth the price you paid for it. If it were -real- Damascus, it would probably sell for at least 5 times as much, and possibly twice that too.

Cheers
Ivo

What I liked about it was the worked back.

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I think you have a dam good razor, looks pretty good as well
Kind regards Peter

That razor is far to good to use for practice!:)