Why do some razors get missed on ebay?

[johnmrson]

I've never understood why some straights seem to have numerous bids and fetch a good price whilst virtually identical razors get sold on one or two bids for next to nothing.

I picked up this Bengall on ebay yesterday.

It looks to be 6/8 or 13/16, virtually no hone wear and a nice etching on the blade. There is no visible rust and apart from coming in a non matching case, I can't see anything wrong with it. It's even got a nice set of triple pin scales.

Now, what is a Bengall like that worth? $50? $60 perhaps? Maybe even $70 is it's buffed up abit. Well I got it for UK7.73. I just don't understand it. We have a few Bengalls in Australia but I couldn't have gotten anything that nice for that price here.

 

[Nerdman]

I swear John, you snag all the deals man!! Thats a good one!! I agree with you, ive take a few off the bay like that, its almost as if they go unoticed!! But hey, it is good for us right!

 

[professorchaos]

That is a nice looking razor you scored. And evidence that deals are still to be had on EBay.

Did you see that Puma Gold that started at $10? No one bidded on it.

 

[dakotaev]

You have time zone the advantage John. While all of us in North America are all sleeping you're snagging up all of the late night ending auctions.

 

[kehern]

I was actually keeping my eye on that!!! I thought about bidding, but I couldn't be bothered, at least now I know that it fell in some good hands! I think part of it is if the seller doesn't have a lot of pics, then no one will really take a second look. You just have to look at those vaguely descriped auction, and see if the razor is actually a good one. I have seen quite a few nice bokers/wade and butcher/pumas that were listed simply as "straight razor." And if he/she starts the auction at $20 or above, not a lot of people start bidding. It is odd, to see how ebay works sometimes. I have a sad story of my own...

I actually passed up an excellent deal on the bay last night. There was a gorgeous Le Grelot (I also want a Le Grelot...and a Boker...and a Wostenholm...oh I just want too much), one that had the blade engraved with "Evide Sonnant Extra" on the blade. Perfect mirror finish, virtually zero hone wear. I figured that someone would bid, and the price would shot up from the 35 dollars or so that it was started at. Nope, not a single person bid, and it went unsold. I was quite surprised. A few hours later, the seller relisted, with a Buy it Now price of nearly 80 dollars, and it sold within the hour. I was kicking myself so hard for passing that one up...

I was seriously kicking myself, I have zero idea why no one bid. I guess that everyone just assumed that someone else would outbid them, and didn't bother, and then no one got it! I still seriously regret letting that one go so much...I have been meaning to get a nice Le Grelot Hospital ever since I saw those vintage blades. They just look so alluring to me... Oh well, I will just have to keep my eye out and hope that another deal like that comes along!

 

[Luc]

I stopped buying razors that's why John!

I'm nearly there with my collection!

 

[Ru4scuba?]

She's a beaut! Be sure to post pics when you clean her up a bit!

 

[Tordu]

I have it on my watch list and forgot to set the snipe , I m really disappointed ...
great score

 

[ianp1966]

i took a look at that one too

ian

 

[dakotaev]

I just noticed that Bengal has the exact same engraving on the blade as the Kobar I sent your way:

Now you'll have brother blades

 

[TenorClef]

I think its just a lack of interest. When i was ebay hunting for my collection of straights the Bengal just didn't excite me in the same way a W&B or TI did.......my ten penneth worth any way.

 

[global_dev]

i was actually intimidated by looking at the 'bay straight razors that for a while I figured it was easier and safer to buy new or at least from a B/S/T. I was overwhelmed with poor pictures or really nice pictures and no real background on what to look for in a razor or why it was being bid on or not being bid on. In general it was a severe lack of knowledge on the whole front for me. I actually stopped looking because i was wasting a ton of time and uit was giving me a headache.

In my imagination i thought "I am looking for the straight that's a steal" but I really was ignorant of the market.

now i kind of understand what i am looking for (or barely looking at in the case of poor pictures), & what it might take to bring it to user readiness.

Ironically this thread and and some shopping yesterday encouraged me to make a first 'bay straight purchase. I was talking to my wife that i wanted to make a case for the 3 straights I have now that are out of kid's reach, but not really secured. i explained that this case (of which i just bought) would house 7 razor's, each for a day of the week, she looked at me like I was crazy, so we settled on 5 slots for the razors which means, i currently have 2 open slots. The box and slots came out really well and now i need to figure how to attach the fabric and overlay it nicely. AND back to the 'bay point of my story. I literally just bought what looks like a cool vintage blade to occupy the next slot for pretty cheap. yeah it looks like it needs work, but my wife says I need to keep out of her hair so straights it is!!! plus it gives me another good reason to use all the tools i have been buying at HD, Lowes, Harbor Freight, and Woodcraft. (as well as procure some more)..

thanks (no, really thanks, honestly, no sarcasm) johnmrson for re-igniting my enthusiasm for looking for some sweet deals on the net. The picture was kinda poor, but it didn't look too bad...
It's was described as "Rattler vintage JOSEPH ELLICTIS BEST SILVER STEEL"

 

[perogee]

All the W&B razors that I have gotten have been that way. I knew on some that I was taking a chance as the pictures and descriptions were so bad, and I am guessing that to be the reason I got them for good deals. The others though, they had good pictures and descriptions and I was sure would go far over my max bid, but did not. Sometimes you just cannot guess.

 

[taffy]

Nice score, i was looking at that, but found a few at an antique store so did not go any further than looking.

 

[DrColossus11]

I've got my fingers crossed on a couple bids right now.

 

[johnmrson]

I think that there's certainly some very good bargains if you're prepared to really look closely at each listing and you're happy to sometimes take a punt on some pics that have poor focus. It certainly keeps the hunt interesting.

 

[luvmysuper]

I think that there's certainly some very good bargains if you're prepared to really look closely at each listing and you're happy to sometimes take a punt on some pics that have poor focus. It certainly keeps the hunt interesting.

Indeed.

A lot of time spent looking at tiny pictures does pay off with some simply ridiculous bargains!

 

[Aloxite]

.....heads off to ebay.....

 

[SliceOfLife]

I've never understood why some straights seem to have numerous bids and fetch a good price whilst virtually identical razors get sold on one or two bids for next to nothing.

I picked up this Bengall on ebay yesterday.

It looks to be 6/8 or 13/16, virtually no hone wear and a nice etching on the blade. There is no visible rust and apart from coming in a non matching case, I can't see anything wrong with it. It's even got a nice set of triple pin scales.

Now, what is a Bengall like that worth? $50? $60 perhaps? Maybe even $70 is it's buffed up abit. Well I got it for UK7.73. I just don't understand it. We have a few Bengalls in Australia but I couldn't have gotten anything that nice for that price here.

I actually saw that, figured it'd go for $50+ and I didn't need it, just another blade to fix up, so why bother.

Nice score man. Congrats.

 

[kehern]

I actually saw that, figured it'd go for $50+ and I didn't need it, just another blade to fix up, so why bother.

Nice score man. Congrats.

I think that that is the main reason why some blades go for cheap. People assume that because it is of a good brand, in fairly good condition, then why bother? Someone else is going to out bid them and get it for $50+. And then johnmrson comes along and picks it up for cheap...