Originally Posted by
roughkype
I can help you if you'd like, in a general "that razor looks like it's in good shape" way. I don't have a deep knowledge of the history that many members here have. Unless you're already an experienced honer, though, your best bet is to look in our own Classifieds. Any blade there that is described as "shave ready" is almost certainly shave-ready.
There's also a lot of information in our wiki about what to look for and what to ask about when buying a vintage blade.
Our members do seem to get a little grumpy when someone posts questions about an ebay blade that is currently up for sale, I guess because more attention means the price will go up. I don't know because I'm not an ebay user. But if you see a blade that interests you, you can search the forums for any mentions of it and see what experiences folks have had with others like it.
Feel free to PM me about ebay blades, if you'd like, and I can help you evaluate their condition and help you search for more info. If you're curious about a blade you saw in an antique store, post pictures of it along with your questions. Look in our Classifieds for the typical sorts of pictures we use to evaluate razors.
Best wishes to you.