Let’s talk auction site caution!

[Biltong & Boerewors]

Hate to hear “you paid way too much”.

The way I see it is that unless you plan to re-sell, it doesn't really matter what the true value is.

Obviously do some homework, look at prices for similar razors but then decide what you are willing to pay for them. I make up my mind, place my maximum bid, and leave it at that. If I get it, great, if I don't it's more than what I am willing to pay.

I recently bought a pair of vintage razors for a lot more than I would normally pay. Impossible to determine what their real value is because I can't find anything to compare them to.

Does it matter?

No, I love them and I don't plan on ever selling them. I know there is at least one more guy that thought the same because the bidding stopped £3 short of my maximum bid. That's the good thing about an auction, you win by paying slightly more than what someone else is willing to pay. When you buy something outright you have to know your prices, because the seller may be asking too much.

 

[Dave Sl8r]

Look okay to me. Hard to really tell for sure from the pics. I would definitely consider them and especially the Friodur.

You get what you pay for. There are cheap friodurs out there but there's usually something wrong with them. I bought 4 from Estonia or Romania or something. They all have huge toe taper, no scales, and wonky hone wear. But they were cheap. It doesn't matter to me much because I like to fix broken things. But if you just want something that's ready to go, you will most likely have to pay a little more.

The way I see it is that unless you plan to re-sell, it doesn't really matter what the true value is.

Obviously do some homework, look at prices for similar razors but then decide what you are willing to pay for them. I make up my mind, place my maximum bid, and leave it at that. If I get it, great, if I don't it's more than what I am willing to pay.

I recently bought a pair of vintage razors for a lot more than I would normally pay. Impossible to determine what their real value is because I can't find anything to compare them to.

Does it matter?

No, I love them and I don't plan on ever selling them. I know there is at least one more guy that thought the same because the bidding stopped £3 short of my maximum bid. That's the good thing about an auction, you win by paying slightly more than what someone else is willing to pay. When you buy something outright you have to know your prices, because the seller may be asking too much.

Thank you guys.

 

[ajduplessis]

Are these even worth considering?
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Not a lot wrong with those blades, but not sure about the price thou. At $60 a piece its a bit steep IMO.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Not a lot wrong with those blades, but not sure about the price thou. At $60 a piece its a bit steep IMO.

I would go $60 on the big Friodur. Yeah its a bit high on the others but if you like them and want them enough, well...

 

[Polarbeard]

Some razors are objectively very overpriced, like the +$2000 NOS Dorko razors I've seen. Then again some people don't have to worry about budget restraints. However generally you get what you pay for. The Friodurs mentioned above can be bought from Japan in NOS condition for the price of a new Böker or Dovo, and as such they must be seen as a bargain. Then again that's my personal opinion.

My only advice in the matter is that you, given a set budget, buy fewer razors but in the condition and design you really like rather than go on a shopping spree buying whatever razor that catches your eye. Instead start with one fine razor, learn to shave with it, let the feeling grow on you, and then save money to buy another carefully selected one and saviour shaving with it. Continue to enjoy imagining what would be fun next. Finally stop when you've got about five really fine razors. They are all you need for a lifetime of enjoyable straight razor shaves.

As a few of you know I haven't followed my own advice, but I might have had if someone would have given it to me some plus ten years ago.

 

[JamesBlades]

Finally stop when you've got about five really fine razors. They are all you need for a lifetime of enjoyable straight razor shaves.

This is good advice.

I'm coming up on a year of straight razor shaving, and I've got about a dozen straights, but I mostly use the same 3 or 4 every shave, and I'm looking to downsize. Idk how some guys manage to have dozens and hundreds of razors because I like to keep things simple!

My other advice would be to buy a few razors of different sizes (5/8-7/8), grinds (full hollow to near wedge), and tip (round or square). This will give you a good idea of what works well for your face and tickles your fancy. And if you don't care for a razor, PIF it or sell it!

 

[Gamma]

Agreed, it pays to look at the photos and to not be impulsive just because something is 'cheap'.

At the same time, If I was collecting Tennis razors, or was looking for that style solingen, I might bid/buy one like the OP showed. What I'd pay would depend on a variety of things... I gladly pay more than expected to get what I want sometimes.

Sometimes, there's a bigger picture; maybe there's an identical but mint condition blade out there sitting in severely cracked scales and it's selling for $5. Or maybe I just want it. Or maybe I need bartering power and I know someone looking for that brand, etc. Maybe it's a learning exercise to get a feel for ironing out a bevel like that. Pricing is not always so very simple and there are a lot of ways to look at it.

That blade's edge is wonky and it'll take some honing to clear up, but not that big a deal. Tennis was a high-quality brand that was absorbed by Dovo in the 50s. Their blades are not all that common these days. The condition of this one isn't all that great but it isn't really all that horrible either.

No matter what someone pays for something, there's ALWAYS going to be another someone saying that they paid too much. Always.

 

[Luecke2326]

My only advice in the matter is that you, given a set budget, buy fewer razors but in the condition and design you really like rather than go on a shopping spree buying whatever razor that catches your eye. Instead start with one fine razor, learn to shave with it, let the feeling grow on you, and then save money to buy another carefully selected one and saviour shaving with it. Continue to enjoy imagining what would be fun next. Finally stop when you've got about five really fine razors. They are all you need for a lifetime of enjoyable straight razor shaves.

Hilarious LOL!!!!! I went the opposite way, completely! I still remember the day when Arne said, “Matt you should really focus on getting good with one razor at a time, you might not even like Swedish frame-back razors...” Let me tell you all a secret, “he might have been right....” and darn my hoarders spirit.... I still own every one of them...


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[Luecke2326]

Idk how some guys manage to have dozens and (hundreds)***** of razors because I like to keep things simple!

I don’t know how I do it either.... so many choices :-(



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[Ice-Man]

I don’t know how I do it either.... so many choices :-(



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Oh yes Matt, But is that not the spice of life, when you have so many choices to go with that's my moto.

 

[Sukeroku]

I have been looking for an Iwasaki kamisori for a while now. A very reasonable one came up for auction but it has some heavy pitting on the edge (as well as some light rust on other side). Can this kamisori be restored? What kind of investment in time/money would be required?

 

[totorlekiller]

This one is hard to tell.
There is a gamble on the pitting that has at least one deep spot near the edge. It is possible you would have to hone out past it, losing about 2mm of a blade that is already narrow.
It is possible however that it is superficial enough to not affect restoring the bevel about where it seats now, then the rest of the work is not that bad if you tolerate the gangrened part under the blade etching.
I have never rewrapped a Kamisori, so I can not comment on the effort for that.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I have been looking for an Iwasaki kamisori for a while now. A very reasonable one came up for auction but it has some heavy pitting on the edge (as well as some light rust on other side). Can this kamisori be restored? What kind of investment in time/money would be required?

View attachment 1070048

If it was me I would give that one a miss. I give it a 50/50 chance of a reasonably successful restoration. There are several deep pits that will make honing this razor to a good clean edge kind of iffy without an awful lot of steel removal.

Is it just as bad on the back side? If the omote side is nice and clean, maybe you would have some wiggle room. Maybe not enough, though.

 

[Sukeroku]

If it was me I would give that one a miss. I give it a 50/50 chance of a reasonably successful restoration. There are several deep pits that will make honing this razor to a good clean edge kind of iffy without an awful lot of steel removal.

Is it just as bad on the back side? If the omote side is nice and clean, maybe you would have some wiggle room. Maybe not enough, though.

Here is another closeup of the pitting on the ura side and a pic of the omote side. The piece is not Tamahagane steel but rather a high carbon steel (炭素鋼) that Iwasaki was experimenting with. It may have some historical importance but I am not sure that it can be restored (perhaps I could take a trip to the Iwasaki workshop in Niigata!).

 

[Slash McCoy]

If you already owned it I would say go for it. If you haven't bought it yet I suggest you keep looking.

 

[ajduplessis]

I have been looking for an Iwasaki kamisori for a while now. A very reasonable one came up for auction but it has some heavy pitting on the edge (as well as some light rust on other side). Can this kamisori be restored? What kind of investment in time/money would be required?

View attachment 1070048

No I dont think that is salvageable. Best case is you are going to loose a lot of blade.

 

[Luecke2326]

I have been looking for an Iwasaki kamisori for a while now. A very reasonable one came up for auction but it has some heavy pitting on the edge (as well as some light rust on other side). Can this kamisori be restored? What kind of investment in time/money would be required?

As the others said above, pass....

 

[Dave Sl8r]

Here is another closeup of the pitting on the ura side and a pic of the omote side. The piece is not Tamahagane steel but rather a high carbon steel (炭素鋼) that Iwasaki was experimenting with. It may have some historical importance but I am not sure that it can be restored (perhaps I could take a trip to the Iwasaki workshop in Niigata!).

JMO
If you are truly concerned there might be some type of historical importance or value.
Don’t touch it!
Maybe keep or stop it from pitting any further, and appreciate it for what it is.
I’m not sure if the same rules apply to Japanese razors as they do to swords, but If you own it, don’t touch it! Your not qualified. Quickest way to devalue a Japanese sword it’s for some unqualified foreigner to put his grinder, file, or stones on it.
You would be surprised how many beautiful/valuable swords were ruined here in the US by somebody sharpening them with whatever, after they used them to do something like cut weeds away from the chain-link fence.
Again JMO, and good luck with it.

 

[Sukeroku]

Thank you for your input, gentlemen. I will pass on this one.