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What's with antique store pricing?

Has anybody noticed that antique stores have started charging out the wazoo for straights? I was in an antique store earlier that was charging $40-$60 for every straight they had, and they were all in pretty terrible condition. Not just mild pitting or patina, or problems only a shave geek would notice, like edge pitting...these had huge swaths of active rust anyone could see. Though their DE supplies were worse...one booth was charging $5/blade for Gillette Blue Blades, and had the balls to ask money for a bag of open, used, worthless carbon blades.

I know wetshaving is trendy...but do they really think we're that dumb?
 
I've noticed that lately too. The more publicity these hobbies get, the more antique stores seem to charge. Gone are the days of finding $5.00 Fatboy's at antique stores as well.
 
Two weekends ago I saw a straight with a huge chunk of out of blade blade labeled "shaving knife" and on sale for $18.00.
 
I see some rubbish rusted ones for $100, and some great condition one for $5 - luck of the draw my friend
 
There are 3 stores in my area that may have straights. At each one, I see if there is a blade that appeals to me, and is salvageable, then tell them what it will cost to make it useable, $25-35 bucks for honing, $20 bucks + for scales, etc. Explain that I intend to restore for use, not just have a wall hanger. Prices always go way down. Haven't paid more than 10 bucks for a Wade & Butcher, a Puma, a Wosty or others. I have also told them, show me a blade in great shape, with decent scales and I will pay appropriately.

Two of the owners admit that they know nothing about straights, and that most of their customers buy them for decorations, so condition isn't as important. They learn a little, I save a lot, win,win:thumbup1:
 
There are 3 stores in my area that may have straights. At each one, I see if there is a blade that appeals to me, and is salvageable, then tell them what it will cost to make it useable, $25-35 bucks for honing, $20 bucks + for scales, etc. Explain that I intend to restore for use, not just have a wall hanger. Prices always go way down. Haven't paid more than 10 bucks for a Wade & Butcher, a Puma, a Wosty or others. I have also told them, show me a blade in great shape, with decent scales and I will pay appropriately.

Two of the owners admit that they know nothing about straights, and that most of their customers buy them for decorations, so condition isn't as important. They learn a little, I save a lot, win,win:thumbup1:

Wow...I'd figured you could bargain them down a bit (since antique dealers in my area seem to knock about 10% off at the first sign of interest), but I had no idea that they'd go down so far!
 
The first time i bought some safety razors from an antique store 4 years ago i bought 2 Fatoys, a Slim, 1 40s SS, and 1 flare SS for 15 dollars.

They were in great condition after i cleaned them up.


One year later i'm looking for a super long adjustable on Ebay, i win one for 25 dollars, and it turns out the seller is the same guy from the same antique store. Ever since then, all of his DE razors and straight razors either went right onto Ebay without even selling them in store, or he charges outrageous prices in store for them.
 

Antique Hoosier

“Aircooled”
Wow...I'd figured you could bargain them down a bit (since antique dealers in my area seem to knock about 10% off at the first sign of interest), but I had no idea that they'd go down so far!

The Gentleman brings up an excellent point. I have also found that if the dealer is informed that you actually USE the razors they have been known to be a bit easier on pricing. They somehow get put in a trance imagining someone doing something so potentially dangerous in their mind.
 
There are 3 stores in my area that may have straights. At each one, I see if there is a blade that appeals to me, and is salvageable, then tell them what it will cost to make it useable, $25-35 bucks for honing, $20 bucks + for scales, etc. Explain that I intend to restore for use, not just have a wall hanger. Prices always go way down. Haven't paid more than 10 bucks for a Wade & Butcher, a Puma, a Wosty or others. I have also told them, show me a blade in great shape, with decent scales and I will pay appropriately.

Two of the owners admit that they know nothing about straights, and that most of their customers buy them for decorations, so condition isn't as important. They learn a little, I save a lot, win,win:thumbup1:

this. there was a thread a while ago about how the worst looking blade in the antique shop went for orders of magnitude more than the functional ones because of the scimitar-shaped scales.
 
I travel immensely and usually try to hit the local antique shops so I've learned how the game is played. 9 times out of 10 the prices are about double of what they are willing to let it go for. Just ask the counter if they can contact the seller and see if they will take you offer and they usually do. They pay rent in those antique malls so they need to get stuff out of there and get cash flow.

9 times out of 10 the sellers don't know squat about razors. I was at a mall in Monterey, CA once and the display case had 4 razors, all faux tortouise labled genuine MOP:lol:. Never say you're going to restore it. Just say "wow this will look good as garden art." If they think you're restoring them to sell or use they know they have you.
 
You have to find the old antique shops without a computer in them.
The kind with some old guy who's asleep in a rocking chair.
A place where they'd look at ya and say "who'd want this old crap anyway"
but still sell it to you.
 
Never say you're going to restore it. Just say "wow this will look good as garden art." If they think you're restoring them to sell or use they know they have you.

Really? I'd have thought a shock-and-awe campaign of "I know more about this than you do" followed by an exaggerated list of restoration costs would yield better results. I tend to go for the grumpy "well, I don't really need another one, but I might as well take a look" attitude with antique dealers...make them think they really need to sell you.

That same store had a Durham Duplex going for $24...I didn't have the heart to tell them they'd be lucky to give it away. :lol:
 
Usually the JUNK blades are priced HIGH and the really GREAT ones I snag are reasonable.

I find that a lot. I think many dealers charge based upon how old they look. I bought two Keen Kutters from an antique store for $30 bucks a pop. They're in near mint condition. The same store was trying to charge more for some *** that looked like Ulysses S. Grant's great grandfather had used it to mortar the bricks on his house together, and then set it on fire.
 
You have to find the old antique shops without a computer in them.
The kind with some old guy who's asleep in a rocking chair.
A place where they'd look at ya and say "who'd want this old crap anyway"
but still sell it to you.

+1. I have found a couple of shops that just had razors in a mug and they were a dollar or two per razor. And it is usually a one-owner shop rather than a mall.
 
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