Photo 130806133 © Dietmar Rauscher – Dreamstime.com
When asked by someone should they buy a straight razor new or used, you’ll get as many opinions as there are people. There are pros and cons of both used and new straight razors and the bottom line is that it’s up to you to weigh the issues and decide what is best for you.
One of the first problems one runs into when trying to buy a straight razor that is used is the availability of them. You can look on auction sites such as Ebay and find a wide variety of razors on there, but winning the auction is a completely different matter.
Still others have a certain brand name in mind that they feel they must have. If that’s the case, finding a used razor in that brand name is a waiting game. While certainly it may pop up eventually, you need to always be on the lookout for it.
There are forums set up for the straight razor aficionado that sometimes offer used razors for sale too. This is probably one of your best options for a used razor because it is more likely to be shave ready, need no work and be affordable too.
On the other hand of things, you know that when you buy a straight razor new, you’re getting all the parts and quality you would expect from a brand new item. It will be shave ready and it will be guaranteed to work well or your money back. That’s not going to be the case with any used razor.
However, you have to realize that a new razor is going to cost more than most any used one, but you will have a larger variety to choose from and a very good quality of razor that is being produced by the contemporary razor manufacturer.
For a first time straight razor buyer, often a new one is the way to go as you find instructions, ease and quality all wrapped in one. As you become more familiar with the product, you can branch out and try the various used ones as they become available.