What Do You Look For?

[cottontop]

When you guys surf ebay for DE razors, what do you specifically look for in order to give a serious consideration for buying/bidding? Would you rather bid and try to win or would you prefer to "buy it now?" Do you look at price as a determining factor? Is condition a big issue as most of them can be easily cleaned up? I have seen them go all over the place price wise and tend to bypass any that are much over $20. Do you look for a specific model and what is about the most you would pay? Do you ever find any rare ones that are not priced out of sight?
cottontop

 

[Shutterbug57]

I bid what I am willing to pay and see where it goes. I am cheap, so I lose most of my auctions, but that is OK. Recently I have won a 1957 SS in good to very good user grade condition for $12.50 and a 1966 Slim in excellent condition (after clean up) also for $12.50, both prices delivered.

More recently, I got a pre-war fat handled tech for less than $11.00 delivered. Not too sure about the condition of the Tech as it has not arrived yet, but it looks like a replate is in order if the razor works well. It may clean up well, but based on what I can see, I am planning to replate it either black chrome or rhodium if I decide to keep it.

These are not rock bottom prices, but I do lose most of the auctions I bid on. The only auction I chased the item was a near mint birth quarter SS and I paid a bit more for that. YMMV.

 

[TacticalPanda]

I just look for either exceptionally cheap models or models that I don't have that seem like a good deal. I recently won a ball handle Old Type for $4 that was to me a good deal and a few days ago I won a #16 in gold for $37 that I can't wait for . The deals are there, but you have to be patient and alert.

 

[Neffarious]

I look for good deals based on the condition of the razor. I jsut got a mint slim with a near perfect case for 22.50. I got a birth quarter super adjustable short in near mint condition for 21.63. These prices were shipped. I wont but something crappy and have it replated because in a lot of cases the replate costs as much as the lambda betwen teh good condition razor and the crappy one. I got a near mint red tip for 23 shipped. Its really all about patience. I overpaid for a mint super adjustable one time tho. This was one i really wanted. it was pristine. Then i found my birth quarter one for almost half the price. I'm selling the SA on the bay and may take a $5 loss on it but i don't really need two and i would rather have the BQ one.

 

[chongo gordo]

It's been almost two years since I started buying DEs. What I buy or look for doesn't matter in terms of your interests.

My advice:
1. Start with razors that appeal to you, regardless of why (appearance, aggressiveness, history, etc.).
2. Patience, let an auction go if it's too pricey. A similar razor will roll around soon.

 

[NingYupOwaDat]

First off I only buy of ebay if I am actually looking for something in particular, I avoid browsing ebay or I will end up buying something I don't want.

I generally only ever use the Buy It Now option, but only if the price is right, I always look for the cheapest one I can find and will only buy a more expensive one if it is in way better condition. I have only ever bid once and I won because nobody else bid.