I was in an antique store and was looking at some used straights. There were a couple forgot the brand but it began with a L. The razors looked to be in good shape still in old leather boxes. The question is about the honing. There are no nicks but the edges are not straight they appear to have been sharpened slightly more towards the tips. Should I avoid them:confused?
Unless the prices are really low, I'd advise against buying straights from antique stores if you're not sure how to assess them critically. You can sometimes get great deals, but you can also buy trash that looks fine to an inexperienced eye. If you're intent on getting them, then: 1) Look for rust/pitting anywhere near the edge. 2) Look for broken scales: they are not easy to fix if you don't have the experience. 3) Look for cracks in the blade anywhere. TIP: Look up the classifieds on SRP and see what good straights look like. To answer your question: the greater wear at the tip may not be a problem for an experienced honer. If you're new to this, keep in mind that it takes time and money to learn to hone. Anyway, without seeing the razors in question, it's hard to give you more details than that. All the best.
They more than likely have been honed improperly. If that is the case, unless you want the scales only, don't buy. Antique store buys for straights is a real crapshoot.
As Wabbit says it's hard to say without pictures. Does the edge run straight until it curves upward at the point toward the spine? That's called a "smile" and it's not necessarily a bad thing - some razors are just designed that way. If you buy them you're taking a shot in the dark and you should be careful to risk no more than you care to lose. Post some pictures if you can. goshawk
I think I will go buy them in the morning, they are only 10$ each. The wear is just towards the tips not really any pitting on the blade just an even line where they were honed about 3/32 of an inch wide.
