Thread: Is this a good deal? Buying my first razor and thinking of these used ones...

I am not afraid to pay for quality but I am not looking to go pay retail for something either.

IMHO, that's a bad attitude. A search for a bargain often leads to disappointment.

"Full retail" can be $20 at an antique store for an old blade that needs honing, $50 in the Classifieds for a good honed vintage razor, $80 from Straight Razor Designs for a honed Dovo, $200 for a Hart Steel razor in O-1, . . .

None of those is a bargain; each represents 'fair value' _for what it is_ in an open, competitive market.

Larry, at WhippedDog.com, sells inexpensive, but very workable, vintage razors, at low prices. Many of them have cosmetic flaws. If you want "bling", they won't be satisfying. If you want something to shave with, they're fine.

I am very suspicious of "shave ready with some stropping". I think that translates to "dull", in English. And a 3/8 blade is very unusual -- there's something funny going on. Most vintage razors are 5/8's - 6/8's, because that's what _worked_ for the people who used them.

Charles