Hello everybody!

Im brand new to this forum(as well as straight razor shaving) and love the information I have already been able to obtain from you all so thank you!

I apologize if this question is answered in another topic, but I am having a hard time figuring out which vintage razor to invest in.

Are there any ways to visually tell if a razor is beyond the point of cleaning or a restoration? Amount of money to typically spend?
I have seen many individuals claiming to have found a nicely priced vintage razor with obvious wear, only to be shot down by remarks of it being beyond the point of no return which is truly unfortunate.
I also have been doing some searching and have found some definite possibilities based off of many recommendations(from this site) and lists of reputable companies that usually are not in production, but cant tell if buying it meant I would have that traditional awesome antique shave lasting me a lifetime, or just a traditional awesome antique sitting on my desk hah.

Again, if this has already been discussed and I should look elsewhere for my information, my bad!
thanks for the help!