Thread: "Shave Ready" in the Classifieds

Well said, Ray.

Yours are ok RayG

Not to stir the pot but I disagree also.

Where does this stop? The same thing goes for anything on the classifieds.

What I have seen from this forum has been honesty and help. Have there been known problems of "non-shave ready" razors sold here? I have not read of any issues. The newb's are continually told to deal with known honemiesters.

I am a perfect example of this. I had bought a number of razors off EBay and none were shave ready. My straight razor experience was going down the tubes. I started reading SRP and then later joined to buy a "shave ready" Hess 44 from a SRP member GROTOLORD. He is not a honemiester per se' but does know how to sharpen a razor as do most SRP members.

Rick

I think it may be beneficial to both buyer and seller. One reason I like the idea is that if it is incorporated it gives the seller of shave ready razors some credibility if a buyer starts dragging his name through the mud. Say a buyer is unhappy with a razor sold as shave ready and makes contact with the seller, that is fine. The seller can make it right or give a refund.

I have seen new shavers post on SRP about the poorly honed razor they received from noted honemiesters. While it could be the honing it is more likely the lack of technique or improper stropping..... or both. For established honemiesters this isn't a problem. Their reputation precedes them. For the newer members venturing into the honing for hire it could be an issue. "Don't buy from that guy, I heard he doesn't know what he is doing."

OTOH, a demonstration of honing ability by the seller will give the new guy some assurance that the claim the seller is making that he has the skills to hone a razor to shave ready is a valid one. If an unhappy buyer takes a gripe to the public forum the seller can at least say that he has passed muster with the selected judges of his honing ability.

BTW, I have no ax to grind. I have no plans to sell razors on the forum shave ready or otherwise. If I buy a razor from any source if I don't like the way it shaves I hone it until I do. I just happen to think it isn't a bad idea.

Hmm.... I don't think one should have to have a special certification in order to advertise as shave ready, but it could be helpful for a seller to have a little green square (or two green squares, or three, or four, etc) by his ads in the classifieds denoting the appropriate level of SRP-approved shave readiness

I like this idea of feedback. Like EBay or Amazon???
Not sure how it would be set up but it works else where and is familiar to most internet users.
Rick

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Hmm.... I don't think one should have to have a special certification in order to advertise as shave ready, but it could be helpful for a seller to have a little green square (or two green squares, or three, or four, etc) by his ads in the classifieds denoting the appropriate level of SRP-approved shave readiness

I disagree with the idea of being "certified". We've had several discussions on the definition of "shave ready", and if I recall, there's some disagreement. Having to reset a bevel is one thing, but otherwise...

Also, if someone is less than concerned with quality, they could do a really good job on their "certification" razor(s) and put less work into the blades they sell. That wouldn't be a problem for someone who was less than honest.

I sell a few razors here and there and I'm certainly not a honemeister. I may call a razor shave ready and I always state that that means I've test shaved with it and it shaves me well, but someone else might find it less than perfect. I also make clear that I'm not a honing "pro" and honing is not part of the price of the razor (I don't add extra to the price because I've spent time honing it).

Not to beat a dead horse, but this is one of the reasons I really preferred the old buy and sell forum. It changed from a community selling and swaping place to something more "commercial" in nature. This has made it harder to police. Just my thoughts.

Jordan

I'm too new to know if there has been a number of problems with razors in the classifieds being called shave ready that aren't, but if so, IMO, it should definitely be addressed in some way or another.

This is a tough one. I normally try to avoid posting in this type of threads but I think this one deserves some consideration as I personally have been directly affected by the lack of some sort of quality control. First of all, I do agree with Jimmy regarding the advantages for both buyer and seller of implementing some mechanism of quality control. In my very limited experience buying razors in general, and specifically in the classified section, I have mixed results. I am yet to buy a razor from the classifieds that fits the description 100% and this has not solely been the result of the seller being unable to hone or properly evaluate the condition of the razor; at least in one case, the situation was created by the USPS that damaged the razor while it was in transit. I have received razors that have arrived with cracked or dented scales and nicked blades, and at least one that was far from being in shave ready condition, although it was listed as such. With only one exception, I have been able to resolve the particular issues directly with the seller and without the need of posting about it. I am sure than in those cases, the seller did not mean to trick me or purposely misrepresent the razor, their attitude has been sufficiently clear to me. I have to say that I am grateful for the honesty of these sellers. In that instance where the seller did not offer a solution to the problem, I decided not to push the issue since I value Straight Razor Place (SRP) beyond a few measly $$$. I feel that if the seller must resort to tricks to keep my money, there is very little I can do other than not doing business with him again. The reason why these issues do not show up more often in the forum have its origin in the lack of knowledge on the part of the buyer, an interest on the seller side to preserve his reputation, a similar view as mine regarding the privilege of being a member of SRP or some combination of these.

Ray's point regarding newbies is completely valid in my opinion. If you buy your first razor from the classified and the razor is not shave ready, how do you know? Also consider that the razors offered in the classified are often used as a low budget alternatives. If they are not shave ready, they simply lose their purpose. Or better yet, as a member, I have endorsed the razors from the classified. How can I responsibly ask new members to purchase their first razors from the classified section without knowing that they are going to be fully satisfied? This is one of my concerns now that I see that my experience seems to be more common than I thought. I feel certain degree of responsibility for what I post. In the same way, I would like to ask that others, namely the sellers, approach listing in the classified with a comparable attitude and become accountable for the products that they list.

Having said that, I also have to agree that it is hard to impose quality controls to the razors listed in the classified, at least, not without increasing the prices of the razors, the load for those that would ultimately have to be in charge of performing the quality control or both. I just do not see how this could be done in reality. maybe some people would volunteer to help with this but I find it hard....

Al raz.

Originally Posted by jnich67

Not to beat a dead horse, but this is one of the reasons I really preferred the old buy and sell forum. It changed from a community selling and swaping place to something more "commercial" in nature. This has made it harder to police.

Good point

Originally Posted by Alraz

This is a tough one. I normally try to avoid posting in this type of threads but I think this one deserves some consideration as I personally have been directly affected by the lack of some sort of quality control. First of all, I do agree with Jimmy regarding the advantages for both buyer and seller of implementing some mechanism of quality control. In my very limited experience buying razors in general, and specifically in the classified section, I have mixed results. I am yet to buy a razor from the classifieds that fits the description 100% and this has not solely been the result of the seller being unable to hone or properly evaluate the condition of the razor; at least in one case, the situation was created by the USPS that damaged the razor while it was in transit. I have received razors that have arrived with cracked or dented scales and nicked blades, and at least one that was far from being in shave ready condition, although it was listed as such. With only one exception, I have been able to resolve the particular issues directly with the seller and without the need of posting about it. I am sure than in those cases, the seller did not mean to trick me or purposely misrepresent the razor, their attitude has been sufficiently clear to me. I have to say that I am grateful for the honesty of these sellers. In that instance where the seller did not offer a solution to the problem, I decided not to push the issue since I value Straight Razor Place (SRP) beyond a few measly $$$. I feel that if the seller must resort to tricks to keep my money, there is very little I can do other than not doing business with him again. The reason why these issues do not show up more often in the forum have its origin in the lack of knowledge on the part of the buyer, an interest on the seller side to preserve his reputation, a similar view as mine regarding the privilege of being a member of SRP or some combination of these.

Ray's point regarding newbies is completely valid in my opinion. If you buy your first razor from the classified and the razor is not shave ready, how do you know? Also consider that the razors offered in the classified are often used as a low budget alternatives. If they are not shave ready, they simply lose their purpose. Or better yet, as a member, I have endorsed the razors from the classified. How can I responsibly ask new members to purchase their first razors from the classified section without knowing that they are going to be fully satisfied? This is one of my concerns now that I see that my experience seems to be more common than I thought. I feel certain degree of responsibility for what I post. In the same way, I would like to ask that others, namely the sellers, approach listing in the classified with a comparable attitude and become accountable for the products that they list.

Having said that, I also have to agree that it is hard to impose quality controls to the razors listed in the classified, at least, not without increasing the prices of the razors, the load for those that would ultimately have to be in charge of performing the quality control or both. I just do not see how this could be done in reality. maybe some people would volunteer to help with this but I find it hard....

Al raz.

Al stated a lot of important things I think. Really keeping some sort of testing system or anything like that sounds too daunting or even unfeasible to ever happen though (IMO). Now I do think the solution lies in holding sellers fully accountable and open to public 'embarrassment' for lack of a better term.

When I sell a razor I state my whole 'guarantee' and policy about returns, etc. I'd say it is a pretty good one allowing the buyer to either be happy or get his cash back. I got the idea from Gary's (Traveler's) sales. He basically takes back a razor anytime. On top of that I try to encourage an openness where if someone is unhappy with my service and/or product after contacting me about it I want them to post about it! I go to whatever it takes to make that not happen though. Now why can't we take this kind of stance with all sellers whether they like it or not? Public accountability. If the razor sucks and the seller won't give a refund right away– post about it without feeling a vulnerability to backlash. As a community it would benefit us all to understand and encourage this. THAT is where the 'self-policing' in the old B/S/T worked so well. Guys do have public problems here and there still. Recently someone selling a 'shave ready' razor was put to the test when after a whole lot of questioning he sent me the razor to test. It was no where near shave ready and I posted about it. He thanked me for it. He was then prompted by his own motivation to learn more and really try to get better as best he could. Worked out great. Now if all sellers could expect this kind of public response when things aren't resolved, we would be getting somewhere.

Not saying it is always the sellers fault or even the new guys because he rolled the perfectly good edge or had a terrible prep– but if we encourage more of a back and forth feedback between buyer and seller things may improve. FWIW there IS a feedback system in place in the classifieds. That's what the stars are next to certain people. I sometimes encourage guys to give me feedback and I do the same in return for them as a buyer. It is far from perfect but it's a start.