Hello guys , relatively new to straight razor shaving although I have 2 straight razors a coticule stone and learned how to hone. I am looking forward to buying these 2 straight razors from a local seller, they are priced at 50 euros for both and I would like to hear your opinion about their condition and if its worth it.
Opinion about these vintage straight razors
- Thread starter UncleJ
- Start date
The scales are broken.
They're still usable,
but you should be able to do better without much effort.
Try not to approach acquisition from the point of view of desperation.
Take your time looking around.
They're still usable,
but you should be able to do better without much effort.
Try not to approach acquisition from the point of view of desperation.
Take your time looking around.
- Thread starter
- #3
The Bengall is a great razor, worth getting as long as the price is right The other I'd pass
- Thread starter
- #5
This all depends on your experience.
Can you make new scales? Do you know how to peen properly? Do you know how to reprofile a heal? do you have all the hones needed to take the edges back to NO edge and bring it back to shave ready?
I personally don't like the look of the finish on these. It looks a bit washed as if someone has maybe put them on a buffer to clean them, up. I stay away from that stuff as buffing wrong can damage the steal.
I restore old razors. I'd offer a lower price for both of them and restore them by making new scales or digging out some older scales from my stock. Or just toss them in the To-Do drawer for parts at a later date.
So this is all depending on your ability. If you can't restore then pass on these and put your money on razors in better shape.
BTW, What I see on the heal of the Bengal is someone has tried to reprofile it but didn't do a very clean job of it. Is it ok? Sure. Just needs to be cleaned up some more and a bevel recut as the edge has been pushed forward a bit too far.
Can you make new scales? Do you know how to peen properly? Do you know how to reprofile a heal? do you have all the hones needed to take the edges back to NO edge and bring it back to shave ready?
I personally don't like the look of the finish on these. It looks a bit washed as if someone has maybe put them on a buffer to clean them, up. I stay away from that stuff as buffing wrong can damage the steal.
I restore old razors. I'd offer a lower price for both of them and restore them by making new scales or digging out some older scales from my stock. Or just toss them in the To-Do drawer for parts at a later date.
So this is all depending on your ability. If you can't restore then pass on these and put your money on razors in better shape.
BTW, What I see on the heal of the Bengal is someone has tried to reprofile it but didn't do a very clean job of it. Is it ok? Sure. Just needs to be cleaned up some more and a bevel recut as the edge has been pushed forward a bit too far.
it almost looks like the Bengal had a lot, maybe the most spine wear from honing I've ever seen and then got reground to hollow it some more creating essentially a bellied hollow from maybe a 1/2-1/4 hollow of the original grind, with a fairly rough sanding to clear rust/pitting, and/or hide the wear on it without any attempt to sand it up to even a modern satin finish.
that said, if there's enough spine left to create a comfortable bevel angle, at the right price point for you... it may be worth it to learn some skills on, and have a fine shaving but maybe not a terribly aesthetically pleasing example when you're done with it. the edge areas look ok enough to me for it to become close to what it once was if the geometry's good enough. they've got a good reputation and I like good coticule edges on Sheffield steel. I'd just smooth the heel rounding and not really worry about lost real estate of the edge length if I bought it.
the Rena looks ok-ish for the blade and has much less honewear, and will require much less work than the Bengal unless you just hone it. yeah, the Rena will need new shoes fairly soon.
we don't do valuations here, so you have to decide if the price point works for you. check sales prices on closed sales on various online sources to gage market value is the best advice I can give.
aaaaaaaand welcome here.
that said, if there's enough spine left to create a comfortable bevel angle, at the right price point for you... it may be worth it to learn some skills on, and have a fine shaving but maybe not a terribly aesthetically pleasing example when you're done with it. the edge areas look ok enough to me for it to become close to what it once was if the geometry's good enough. they've got a good reputation and I like good coticule edges on Sheffield steel. I'd just smooth the heel rounding and not really worry about lost real estate of the edge length if I bought it.
the Rena looks ok-ish for the blade and has much less honewear, and will require much less work than the Bengal unless you just hone it. yeah, the Rena will need new shoes fairly soon.
we don't do valuations here, so you have to decide if the price point works for you. check sales prices on closed sales on various online sources to gage market value is the best advice I can give.
aaaaaaaand welcome here.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
For your information, the Bengall in your picture is late or post WWII. I wouldn't buy it due to the incorrect heel work that has been done on it. There are plenty of others out there in much better condition.
Here is one of mine, same vintage as yours, that I picked up on eBay late last year for about €20 plus shipping. This is as received. Not hard to find, just have to look around and wait. It took me about 10 months to put together a 7DS of Bengalls. They are now my travel set.
Here is one of mine, same vintage as yours, that I picked up on eBay late last year for about €20 plus shipping. This is as received. Not hard to find, just have to look around and wait. It took me about 10 months to put together a 7DS of Bengalls. They are now my travel set.
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- Thread starter
- #9
Take your time. I would not buy either of those.
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