TheShaveDen

I had a '41 Ranger Tech several months ago. I parted with it because I needed cash, but unlike any other razor I can recall I really regretted parting with it. I regretted it because, although I used it just once, that Ranger surprised the heck out of me by giving me the best shave I'd had in a long, long time (and this is coming from someone who owns and uses the Super Adjustable, Red Tip, Black Tip and '50s Aristocrat, also some of Gillette's best axes ever).

Well, a newly acquired '41 Ranger came in the mail today. I gave what I thought to be a decent price for it so I was even more pleased when it arrived in even better condition than the auction pictures indicated. Don't you love it when that happens?

So after getting back late from work tonight, I popped in a '60s era no-name stainless (honed just a touch to be sure of the edge) and squeezed out some menthol Barbasol can-o-goo.

Once again, a Ranger delivered a FANTASTIC shave. BBS with no nicks.This one shaved just as well as my last one but this time I tried to pay attention to why. The only thing I can figure is the balance. The Ranger Tech, in my hand anyway, is absolutely, perfectly balanced, more so than any other razor I've even held, much less shaved with. The understated knurling actually helps; while I dig the exaggerated grippiness and chunkier handles of the Red Tip and even that of the Aristocrat, the fine knurled tread on the Ranger is more than enough for the wettest wet shave...bigger tread would be way too much on such a relatively thin handle. It's perfect. All the way around, the Ranger Tech is just...perfect.

The Ranger Tech is now my favorite, hands down. I think I've finally found the excuse I've needed to part with all my Gillette's and my Gem and my injectors and narrow down my collection to just one razor...or at least just one DE. Turns out all I had to do is try almost every general type of razor Gillette made before deciding on the first and, and in my newly forged opinion, the BEST twist to open ever. As always, YMMV but if anyone has thoughts to share on this classic of classics, I'd love to read them.

Happy Friday From Florida!

I admit it; I am burned out on Ebay.

Yes, there are millions of items on Ebay to choose from. It is like a world of flea markets and garage sales and junk shops at my fingertips to peruse and buy from. But darn it! I am burned out!

I joined Ebay in 2003 because at the time I was seriously into rebuilding a 1962 Chevy Pickup I had. I quickly became addicted to Ebay not because of the vast array of products, but because of the feedback!

Here I am, nine years in, and I only have 312 feedbacks, that is the total as a buyer and sometime seller.

312 feedbacks. In nine years. That is bunk!

I have easily spent thousands of dollars over the years, sometimes buying items specifically to help drive my feedback score up. This includes buying stuff (junk) that I could easily buy at a local garage sale or flea market and save myself shipping fees, but no; in pursuit of a higher feedback score, I turn to Ebay.

I remember my first and only "neutral" feedback I ever received. This was related to my quest for rebuilding the 1962 Chevy. I had acquired (through Ebay) a fully refurbished frame and various other parts, including a front grille for a 1961 Chevy with dual headlights that I thought was way more cool than the 1962 grille with the single headlights. About this same time, I found out that while the 1962 Chevy was funky-cool, the aftermarket specifically targeted the 1963 and up Chevy for some parts, but really kicked into high gear for the 1964 and up, or the 1959 and down Chevy. The 1960, 61, 62 and for a large part the 63 are pretty much illegitimate children of the Chevy pickup world. The saving grace for the 1963 is that it is much easier to convert the front suspension from torsion bars to coils or air bags, but really, you should just go ahead and go with the 1964 and up model in order to save yourself time, effort, money, and yes; sanity.

Anyway, coming back to the point of my post, as this is a shave forum and not a pickup truck forum; I am done with Ebay. Burnt out, 100%.

Has Ebay become a bastion of fraud? Yes. Is Ebay loaded up with people selling second rate goods hoping for first rate prices? Yes. Is Ebay just like any other shopping venue; buyer beware? Yes.

There are many Ebay policies that drive away sellers and buyers alike. Ebay has had to refine their policies and procedures over the years just like any other business. But danggit, of all the changes, the one thing that has gotten worse is the one thing that I found so alluring about Ebay in the beginning.

Feedback.

One of the changes to feedback that I think was good, is that a seller cannot leave negative feedback for a buyer who has paid for their purchase. In my opinion, a buyer who trusts a seller of an item that has been won and has paid promptly, that bidder has fulfilled his or her obligation. I bid, I won, I paid. My part is done. Now the seller needs to seal the deal. It is the responsibility of the seller to make good on their auction, including leaving reciprocal feedback for a buyer who has paid promptly at the end of an auction, and who in good faith has left positive feedback for the seller once said buyer has received their item in the as described status that the auction claimed. What I have experienced over the last year is that many sellers do not leave feedback. Ever. Even after repeated reminders asking for reciprocal feedback.

I have taken to leaving follow-up feedback and stating that lack of reciprocal feedback sours an otherwise pleasant transaction, but it is of little comfort for me. I have also started looking at the feedback the seller has left for others to try and weed out potential sellers who do not leave feedback. Unfortunately for me, weeding out sellers who do not leave feedback also limits the choices I have to buy from.

I have examined my attitude from the other side though. When I go to a brick and mortar store, I do not buy items with the expectation that I will receive feedback, so why should I expect feedback from Ebay sellers? I think it is because hardly any stores offer S&H Greenstamps anymore. Those were sort of like feedback I guess. When I was younger and more stores offered the stamps, I made sure to shop at those stores specifically because of the stamps. Ebay has a feedback function; I want my feedback, just like I would want my Greenstamps! I want my reward! I want my cookie!

I think there may be a larger...