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Looking To Buy a Flea Market Razor? Look Here!

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
The following images are types of straight razors you want to AVOID. While they may be able to be made shave ready, often times you can find razors in better shape for the same or less money.

Experienced Members please feel free to add to this thread with pics and what to avoid.
 
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Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
#1

Excessive hone wear on spine
Uneven bevel

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Sadly, the first pic shows a razor pretty close to what I bought at a flea market this past weekend. It sat in a pile of old pocket knives in similar condition. Quite a lot of hone wear on the spine, edge wear favoring toward the toe about 1/16" or so (a little bit over 4/8 at the heel and tapering up). I bought it to practice honing on; it honed up and shaved pretty nicely. It only set me back $5 though, so not too bad. In that case, though, I knew what I was getting. The newbie shaver may not, however.
 
Avoid buying stuff like this and tell me immediately where you saw It. I'll go and take care of it.
 

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Ok. Do not buy this:
 

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This chip may look pretty small, but a lot of steel has to be removed to get a clean edge. I would pass on one like this in 99.99% of cases. It's just more hassle than its worth. Plenty of cheap vintage straights in good shape out there

$il_570xN.476517473_5ke1.jpg
 
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Was thinking same thing. Plus, assuming that someone was using the blade like that...eee-yahh. Maybe custom fitting to someone's cheek?

It could be. It looks like the bevel extends all the way across the frown. The honer must've been a contortionist though. The double inverted distorted side stroke.
 
This chip may look pretty small, but a lot of steel has to be removed to get a clean edge. I would pass on one like this in 99.99% of cases. It's just more hassle than its worth. Plenty of cheap vintage straights in good shape out there

View attachment 348422

I'd probably pass on that one too except for two things: one, if the price was very right (say, around $10) and two, if my low grit stone was feeling lonely that day. Definitely a good one if you want to restore one back to life. But even at the $10 mark, I've found good vintage razors that only needed a minimal effort to make good shavers.
 
if you run across one of these:
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(I believe that is "Pakistan" that got rubbed away), you should likely give it a pass, unless you want to have some steel to break-in some hones or the like. I bought it a couple years ago cuz it was a bigger blade and about 10 bucks. Who knows, I still haven't tried (much) to hone it, as it came in broken scales and it hasn't been high on the scaling/honing priority list.
 
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Mike H

Instagram Famous
Cel-rot
The off gassing of celluloid scales accelerate the degradation of the steel. The scales will need to be replaced, and often, the blade is shot too.

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I just bought a Lotus on ebay. A real mess. Don't know why I did but I sure can't wait to post a pic here when it arrives! LOL..
 
The following images are types of straight razors you want to AVOID. While they may be able to be made shave ready, often times you can find razors in better shape for the same or less money.

Experienced Members please feel free to add to this thread with pics and what to avoid.

I think some of the pictures posted in this thread are good examples of what to avoid, and are similar to some things I have found in antique stores. One reason the buyer needs to beware is that the seller isn't always knowledgeable about things such as straight razors. They aren't always trying to rip you off, they purchased some things from an estate sale and are charging a price based on what they paid for it. If they are like me a few years ago, they had no idea that anyone still shaved with those things.
 
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