This Is Insane

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Gillette_Man, Dec 13, 2008.

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  1. Shep

    Shep The Shep Abides

    Well I didn't look at where the auction started when I made my comment. After rereading it was poorly worded. The thought I was trying to convey was that the sale price (might be) high due to the labor intensive efforts of the seller. In the end if a buyer decides it's worth it, then that's a fair price. Much like selling your home. Buyers determine the true worth at that moment in time.

    With that in mind why would he start a restored DE razor auction at .99 cents? Run of the mill, very average DE's sell for anywhere from $15 to $30 with the more desireable ones selling in the 100's. So after all the hard work put into the razor why list it for pennies? Doesn't make sense. He's not going to let it go for that price right? It gives the appearance that it's just a lure to get people in. Successive bids up to the hundreds of dollars look made up frankly. Whether or not that's true in this case I have no idea nor do I really care as I'm not a collector, would never pay big money for a razor and do not use eBay for precisely the reasons being discussed in this thread.

    EDIT: Don't want to come off all harsh. No offense to the many honest eBay vendors out there. I just don't do my shopping there.
     
  2. mastermute

    mastermute FatBoy

    +1

    Maybe the price seems high, but a straight that is "restored" to full glory can fetch that money and more. Why would this be wrong with a DE. We had an example with a nickel plated Aristocrat a while ago, and that is a completely different issue, while here he has restored a FatBoy to original condition. I like it and I want one of those FatBoy's!
     
  3. nanwei29702

    nanwei29702 New Member

    Hi, the reason why me and him start our razors at .99 or lower is it is cheaper to list. (Yes i sell them also, but no replated ones). Above .99 cost more each penny you add! Also I am honest so I will tell. Understanding how to sell on eBay, yes the trick is to try and get bids. If it is something you know will sell but not sure how much, start it low like we do. If it is something that is rare and not sure if it will sell much, start at a high price to see if it sells or put a reserve (but will cost much more to list). Like I said, the higher you start it, the more eBay charges to list it! Put a buy it now, it costs that much more. That isn't counting paypal and other fees. So the most common sense thing to do is try to get all the bids he can to get his money and time back out of his work starting the item cheap to save on fees. Start a razor listing at $20.00, your lucky to sell it at all! It sounds crazy, but it is true! Thanks to all of you that do support him and hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
     
  4. Bronco

    Bronco Mac Daddy

    Welcome nanwei29702, to The Shave Den. Thanks for dropping in to provide some input. May you have a Merry Christmas as well!
     
  5. MTgrayling

    MTgrayling Rocket Man

    I'd hardly call a few friendly PM's harassment. I still say, and always will, that marking these with a punched symbol or other unique distinguishing mark is the ethical ting to do. It costs nothing and gives future collectors something to look out for.

    Oh and Welcome to TSD!
     
  6. rodd

    rodd Knotty Boy

    OK, well it sounds like you are a bit confused. Hopefully you will use the information I am about to give you and keep good on your word that he would never sell anything that could be sold for something it was not.

    Before the President that we all know and love with the knurling going all the way down, there was a limited production run that had the same knurling as the Aristocrat. It actually looked EXACTLY like the replated Aristocrats. That is exactly MTGrayling's point. He is saying that if he marked it in some way so that we could tell it was not this super rare President, we would be happy. We are not against you selling replated razors, in fact I think it is a fine idea. We are just asking that they be marked so that, as you said, they could not be sold for something they are not.
     
  7. rollsshaver

    rollsshaver Peace be with you

    I just finished looking over the razors this couple has on Ebay. Now, I frickin' want one!!!
     
  8. D.irving79

    D.irving79 Gemocrat

    i know. if a mid 1950s SS comes up and i have the scratch, i will fight tooth and nail for it.
     
  9. grottolord

    grottolord New Member

    my replated fatboy

    As you check out this guys restored razors , you can only be impressed, looking for a Fat boy, and seeing "My" fat boy in his listing, i said Why not get a perfect looking, perfectly working example, of a classic razor?
    If your talking about a true collector then all you can do is clean and polish the razor no replating no replacing parts etc, as in my 1924 Victrola you cannot touch the "Finish" or it looses its Antique value, it may look 100% better but its value to a true collector is lost,

    that being said i wanted a beautifull razor to shave with and admire not to resell as NOS , so refurbished is "Fine by me".

    I restore Straight razors ,polish,Rescale, repin, etc and sell on ebay,nobody thinks these sometimes 100yr old razors are "new".
    to each his own,
    anyway
    Happy Holidays to you and yours,
    Grottolord
     
  10. cooncatbob

    cooncatbob Member

    It's a safety razor, it's not the Mona Lisa.
    It looks like the nickel plating he's using is brighter then what Gillette used and probably thicker too.
    I send out NEW head to be nickel plated because I couldn't find a source for new DE head.
    I had a cap get snatched by the buffer and flung across the shop, big nick in the edge.
    Worthless as far as being replating and selling.
    I probably invest an hour of time preping a NEW head for replating not counting acquiring them off e-bay in the 1st place.
    I imagine he's not making a lot of money off a replated razor if you consider the labor involved and it's probably worth as much as a mint example anyway.
     
  11. rodd

    rodd Knotty Boy

    The problem I see with a replated TTO razor for the price of a NOS razor is that that razor was used heavily, and had wear. They would not have replated it if it didn't have wear. They then put new shiny plating over a worn down razor, and sell it seriously for as much as a razor that has never been opened. Just doesn't make sense to me, but obviously there is a group who is excited about them, or the prices would not reach those levels. I hope you love it, it certainly is pretty.
     
  12. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    You know, my whole point of making this post was not to attack the seller, but to express bewilderment at the buyers. No doubt, the razors look very beautiful, but these are common razors that were made by the millions -- why are the bidders going nuts over them? To beleaguer my point, here is the list of original condition razors that are in like-new condition, with cases, that I paid less for than the razor being spoke of in this thread:

    British #16 Aristocrat

    British 1930's Open Comb Aristocrat

    British HD Rocket

    President

    Diplomat

    Toggle

    Numerous Late 40's/early 50's Aristocrats

    1960's Aristocrat

    Psycho razor


    To each their own, but I just don't get it. By the way, I also have a like-new cased Fat Boy with a sealed blade dispenser and instructions that I paid all of $16 for.

    And to top all of this off, I was told that the $75 I paid for an NOS Aristocrat in a presentation case was "pricey". :confused:

    If you want a new razor with new plating, I recommend one of these.
     
  13. cooncatbob

    cooncatbob Member

    Brass is very durable, the very thin plating that Gillette used wears out long before the razor.
    Considering the labor involved nobody getting rich replating razors.
    What's a crime is little old ladies throwing out old razors when their husband die.
    Just 2 weeks ago I was at an old lady's home repairing her cabinets when I started talking about my side business old razor she say I've got 2 old razor and she leaves and comes back and gives me a nice fatboy and slim adjustable.

    If you want a razor with a replated head I'll make you one of these.
    [​IMG]
    or this
    [​IMG]
    for $70, $60 for non Burl wood.
     
  14. MTgrayling

    MTgrayling Rocket Man

    Bob, I'd say your razors are easily worth what you charge for them. With three piece shavers there really isn't anything to wear. With these replated razors what the buyer is getting is basically a razor that was used and worn so much it needed to be replated. What the internal mechanics look like is anybody's guess.

    I'd definately suggest anyone looking at the replated TTO's and adjustables to get a NOS (new old stock) version. These would be new out of the box and every bit as shiny and have re sale value as well, couldn't go wrong with one of them.
     
  15. The replated Gillette Classic DE's are fantastic. Kudos to this gentleman and his wife who has restored them to "better than new" status. Not unlike a fully restored classic automobile, I think they look great and if I were to purchase a Gillette ever again, I'd seriously consider this source.
     
  16. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    Razors look nice, and running a legit auction. Supply and demand really sets the price. Its not like the Reynoldsart debacle. That guy was a class act ebayer? I see he finally pulled his outrageous 195 off the market or maybe he is silverdove again?
     
  17. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    Well, for all of you guys that think $145 for a re-plated Fat Boy is a good price, then this one is an absolute steal.
     
  18. MTgrayling

    MTgrayling Rocket Man

    Wow, shiny!! :happy108

    I'm officially out of this thread. Just remember, adjustables don't last forever, they wear and eventually will not lock down the 1/4 turn they are supposed to.
     
  19. He is offering Free Shipping !
     
  20. MTgrayling

    MTgrayling Rocket Man

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