Has anyone ordered the sight unseen or the flawed sight unseen straights from Larry at Whipped Dog? I'm wondering specifically how flawed the flawed ones are but if you have gotten one of the $43 ones I am interested in those as well. I won't be able to get one for awhile I need to get into a no buy for a few weeks so I can have a happy Fiance. After next month starts I'm going to be trying to get a straight and one of Larry's poor mans strop kits.
http://theshaveden.com/forums/search/4682207/?q=whipped+dog+sight+unseen&o=date&c[node]=32 Lots of people have purchased the sight unseen razors, and generally been very happy with them. Hmm. The flawed description reads: "Flaws can include such things as scratched or warped scales, hone wear, and rust spots above the cutting edge." if I remember correctly, those used to be the "sight unseen" razors a few years ago. Apparently, he's gotten enough good razors to open up a second category and shift off these to "flawed" status. They won't be pretty, but they will shave fine, and you won't be crushed when you wreck the edge from improper stropping technique. You are basically buying a $10 razor + an $18 honing service.
I have ordered two of the sight unseen razors and one of the poor man strop kits. The razors work well, but not necessarily the prettiest things out there. I thought they were a great way to get started, as the investment is minimized.
You will get a sharp function razor that will shave well but won't be pretty. It's s great way to see if it's for you. Then if you like it drop some real coin on a fancy razor. Vs buying intermediate and not being happy or able to get your money out of it.
I enjoy straight razor shaving, I just got out of it for awhile while I grew a beard and now I have a job that requires me to shave everyday so I'm getting into DE shaving to save time from the straight but I would still enjoy a straight razor shave when I have a day off from work. My razor was left in storage too long and ended up having a pinhole rust though the blade near the edge. I've been told that it has probably ruined the razor so I'm looking at low cost options to get myself a new (to me) straight. If the Whipped Dog sight unseens are decent shavers that need makeovers then I say its good enough for me and if I get tired of looking at its ugly mug I can rescale it and polish up the blade some. I'll probably try to get one of the "flawed" ones from him within the next few weeks. I was offered my old job back as a Nurse Aide and it comes with a dollar an hour raise plus a boost up to full time so I should have some extra cash soon to support my shaving habit and to go towards saving for my wedding if we ever set a date. Well, after I ask her anyway. I know her answer, she did pick her own ring.
Here's my sight unseen from Larry, uglier than a bowling shoe, but it will knock the whiskers off. Now that I have better straights I use this to practice honing and stropping technique.
Is that one of the "Flawed" ones or one of the regular sight unseens? It looks pretty good to me but my old one was pretty rough and I shaved with it for awhile.
I could still get lucky and win the raffle. The straight there looks like it could be beautiful after its restored. I'd probably still get one of the sight unseen razors from Larry because 2 is always better then 1 when it comes to razors. I would still have the second when it was time to hone the first.
At the time I bought it there was no distinction. As @PLANofMAN said before, Larry started selling off the flawed ones separately after I bought mine. Either way you'll get a good shaver.
Just to jump in if any UK folks are reading this and are tempted. I've just ordered up a straight and strop from whipped dog. UK p.+p is only £5(ish).
I have 7 razors so far and I've been wet shaving less then 2 months. The RAD is strong with this one.
I emailed Larry and he says that he has been selling both categories for several years. He also said that the flawed razors are between 20% and 30% of his unseen razor sales. If I can afford it I may pick up one of each so I can compare for myself the differences. Also like I said before, 2 razors are better than 1. If one need honed then I have the 2nd until I can hone it myself or have it sent out to be honed. My barber's hone is chipped a little but it should work fine after I clean it up some. I also have a locally mined razor stone I'm unsure of the grit on. Its rougher than the barber's hone.
