antique store razors?

T

Trigcure

Joined
Mar 7, 2009
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I'm looking to get a new straight razor at an antique store, but don't really know what to look for and what to look out for, number one thing is a good price, so hopefully i'll get something used but functional.
i have some questions though:
How much can the edge be sharpened back without making the razor useless?
what brands/markings should i look for?
what would be a fair price for a used, tarnished but quality razor?
Thanks in advance!
 
go to the buy and sell forums of straightrazorplace.com or badgerandblade.com. Also heard good things about this guy http://whippeddog.com/ for newbies.

you're probably not going to find anything at an antique shop that you can shave with without having to send it out to be honed.
 
i'm pretty sure i can reshape the edge and re hone it myself (newspaper, compund, lots and lots of time) but i'll certainly look into this site, thanks.
 
I was considering doing what you were thinking for awhile and did some research. The conclusion is that honing is not like sharpening a knife. You will not succeed your first time even if you have the right gear. Newspaper? seriously? Do you really want your first straight shaving experience to be with a razor that's not as sharp as it should be? You'll end up shipping it out to somebody to have it honed, then returned. By that time you'll have been able to just buy one that somebody with knowledge recognized as good and picked out, then with experienced, honed. There are people out there wanting to help you. let them.

if your dead set on getting one from an antique store the only advice I've heard that may give you a hope would be to get a German, American, or Enlgish (Sheffield) with a rounded point razor and hope for the best. going by brands would be hard without extensive knowledge. there are many.
 
Last edited:
Munky88 said:
I was considering doing what you were thinking for awhile and did some research. The conclusion is that honing is not like sharpening a knife. You will not succeed your first time even if you have the right gear. Newspaper? seriously? Do you really want your first straight shaving experience to be with a razor that's not as sharp as it should be? You'll end up shipping it out to somebody to have it honed, then returned. By that time you'll have been able to just buy one that somebody with knowledge recognized as good and picked out, then with experienced, honed. There are people out there wanting to help you. let them.

if your dead set on getting one from an antique store the only advice I've heard that may give you a hope would be to get a German, American, or Enlgish (Sheffield) with a rounded point razor and hope for the best. going by brands would be hard without extensive knowledge. there are many.
Click to expand...

i allready have a razor that is pretty cheap, and a lot of time into honing it. so that won't be an issue for me
 
I bought several eBay razors before I found a really good shaver. It's and old "Bengall" made in England. I have been fortunate enough to find a couple more (different brands) that have also worked well. I also bought some that were practically useless. Avoid Pakistan made razors. Let me make that clear....
AVOID PAKISTAN RAZORS.

I was fortunate enough to find some video instructions on honing and stropping that worked for me. I also was fortunate in finding an old barber's hone that works well. I think I was more lucky than skillful. Sharpening a razor is not like sharpening a knife.

Check by straightrazorplace.com for more (lots more) info.

If I was going to do it over again, I would buy a restored razor from somebody reliable on straightrazorplace.com, a decent strop, and be done with it.

Just my .02 as an everyday (almost) straight user.
 
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