Seeing straight razors at antique stores, what to look for?
- Thread starter bobkhan
- Start date
I had the same problem theres a bunch you can do
Make sure there are no chips or cracks in the blade
Make sure the rust active (red) or black isn't near the blade edge
The rest you can clean up nicely
Stay away from certain type of razors theres a list somewhere on the net most are made from Pakistan
Anything Soligen that matches the above criteria is usually good
And make sure to get it cheaper the better as you will need someone to hone it before you can shave with it
Restore it before you get it honed if you want it to look nice
Don't spend to much I try to average $40 and under for good clean blades and 15-20$ for okay ones that need work
I am sure more experience people can chime in for this
Make sure there are no chips or cracks in the blade
Make sure the rust active (red) or black isn't near the blade edge
The rest you can clean up nicely
Stay away from certain type of razors theres a list somewhere on the net most are made from Pakistan
Anything Soligen that matches the above criteria is usually good
And make sure to get it cheaper the better as you will need someone to hone it before you can shave with it
Restore it before you get it honed if you want it to look nice
Don't spend to much I try to average $40 and under for good clean blades and 15-20$ for okay ones that need work
I am sure more experience people can chime in for this
@Nova,
Sounds close. If you are new to straights then 5/8" will probably be a good blade width, half-hollow probably good grind. Some swear by wedges for newbies but I never cared for them. Look on the Straight Razor SOTD to find the "good" brands.
Don't hesitate to PM someone with specific questions. Before you touch vintage razors to your face make DARN SURE they are CLEAN! Blades and scales.
Sounds close. If you are new to straights then 5/8" will probably be a good blade width, half-hollow probably good grind. Some swear by wedges for newbies but I never cared for them. Look on the Straight Razor SOTD to find the "good" brands.
Don't hesitate to PM someone with specific questions. Before you touch vintage razors to your face make DARN SURE they are CLEAN! Blades and scales.
Last edited:
To really check for cracked blades on some you will need a magnifying glass and maybe even something to clean the blade edge. If the blade is cracked from the edge up you don't have a razor.
This is not exclusive but here's a start: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/What_to_look_for_when_buying_a_second_hand_straight_razor
Ivory.
I'm spending the weekend out in God's country and the last time I was there they had some really nice straights at first glance. SWMBO was impatient and wasn't interested in anything that interested me. So this time I'm going with a different, much more patient SWMBO and I'm excited at whatI might find.
I suggest that your _first_ razor shouldn't come from an antique shop. There are too many mistakes you can make (I've made most of them -- frowns, warped blades, etc.). And you'll either pay for an initial honing, or you'll develop a new skill (razor sharpening) which is _not_ simple.
Try Larry at www.whippeddog.com , or the buy-and-sell section here. Prices may be higher than in the antique shops, but the edge will be sharp. One less variable to worry about.
Charles
PS -- I _did_ get my first razor from an antique shop, and honed it myself. The second one came from Straight Razor Designs. When I used it for the first time, I said:
. . . "Oh -- _that's_ what "sharp" means . . . "
I improved my honing skills considerably after that.
Try Larry at www.whippeddog.com , or the buy-and-sell section here. Prices may be higher than in the antique shops, but the edge will be sharp. One less variable to worry about.
Charles
PS -- I _did_ get my first razor from an antique shop, and honed it myself. The second one came from Straight Razor Designs. When I used it for the first time, I said:
. . . "Oh -- _that's_ what "sharp" means . . . "
I improved my honing skills considerably after that.
