Anybody have luck buying 'Shave Ready' blades on the bay'

[Brains]

Shave ready is possible to buy from some sellers, I did get one Henckels that was sharp enough to shave, But: I agree with colleagues who mentioned the different steps needed to be mastered for good SR practice,
I always kill the edge I receive from an eBay purchase and do a full hone, even if the razor arrived “Shave Ready”,Everyone developed one’s own method and I like my edges to be mine, smooth and sharp.
I starded learning on eBay razors, restoration, honing and stropping. Very rewarding process

Take your time,
get an eBay razor and a set of honing stones (synthetic, 1K, 4K 8K 12K) and you are goodto go,
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/ is a good place

just finished a Japanese eBay razor

 

[neiasden]

it is an amazing hobby. there's so many things to consider if you are a collector. different scales different blade material different makers all that good stuff, different grinds. then you can get into cleaning them and restoring them, then honing them then you can go up to naturals LOL it never stops. it's interactive, or a spectator sport. it's perfect

 

[PLANofMAN]

I've gotten shave ready edges from eBay sellers. In fact one was so good I asked him what his honing progression was on the razor. His reply:

"Shapton 1k, Shapton 5k, then went to an Ozuku jnat with nagura slurries. First tenjou then mejiro. Then I finished with a tomo nagura slurry that I diluted down to a trace slurry.

I like a jnat finished edge for the comfort it provides. It is not the only finish I use but the one I use most often. You could basically get the same result as what I did on the c-mon by going up to 8k synthetic then finishing on a harder jnat with a tomo or diamond nagura slurry. Slowly dilute it until it is almost clear water. Finish the last hand full of strokes with only the weight of the blade."

 

[Brains]

I've gotten shave ready edges from eBay sellers. In fact one was so good I asked him what his honing progression was on the razor. His reply:

"Shapton 1k, Shapton 5k, then went to an Ozuku jnat with nagura slurries. First tenjou then mejiro. Then I finished with a tomo nagura slurry that I diluted down to a trace slurry.

I like a jnat finished edge for the comfort it provides. It is not the only finish I use but the one I use most often. You could basically get the same result as what I did on the c-mon by going up to 8k synthetic then finishing on a harder jnat with a tomo or diamond nagura slurry. Slowly dilute it until it is almost clear water. Finish the last hand full of strokes with only the weight of the blade."

Thank you for this comment, I find your Ozuku and nagura slurries very interesting, I will try to get a decent Osuku,
do you happen to have a microscope photo of the edge?

 

[PLANofMAN]

Thank you for this comment, I find your Ozuku and nagura slurries very interesting, I will try to get a decent Osuku,
do you happen to have a microscope photo of the edge?

I didn't have a microscope at the time, and I've probably shaved off the edge a half dozen times already, but here you go, and I've also included the seller's pic of the razor on the stone in question.
Edit: to be clear, this is not my honing on my stones. This is the eBay seller's honing job on HIS stones and the microscope picture was taken after a half dozen shaves.
Edit 2: That's probably a $4-500 stone, BTW.

 

[Bogie]

I appreciate all the expertise that is shared on the site and I learn from it quite often. I'm thinking that the twenty plus years experience I have in buying, restoring, and using 100 year plus old blades is not very relevant to some of the new discussions. I would say there are many really good new blades, mostly custom. I have absolutely no experience in new manufactured straight blades as I have had such success with older steel. I generally prefer pre 1900 Sheffield steel and particularly ivory scales because they are becoming more rare. Horn, bone, and other natural material are worth preserving. The artisan skills of early bladesmiths are worth preserving. I would say before you get caught up in all your expertise, realize these blades have been around for centuries and there is no canned answers on how to do it best. Use this site to extract ideas and find what works for you. If you know it all why bother posting here. It is an amazing hobby and preserving the earlier blades is a worthy goal.
To jaro1069.... I made an edit. Thank you for your reply.

 

[jaro1069]

. I may just step back and take in the advice and not offer much going forward.

No your advice to others here has been very welcome , so Please do NOT stop now...Others may have different ways to do stuff but who cares. Thats what makes this hobby what it is today...Everyone has different views and different ways of doing things. Others may take some of your advice and some of anothers advice and combine them into a completely new way to do something....

 

[Brains]

I didn't have a microscope at the time, and I've probably shaved off the edge a half dozen times already, but here you go, and I've also included the seller's pic of the razor on the stone in question.
Edit: to be clear, this is not my honing on my stones. This is the eBay seller's honing job on HIS stones and the microscope picture was taken after a half dozen shaves.
Edit 2: That's probably a $4-500 stone, BTW.
View attachment 8690View attachment 8691

Thank you
Edge is very impressive, I have a long way ahead of me in progres sing from synthetic to Jna, much to learn,

 

[RHensley]

I appreciate all the expertise that is shared on the site and I learn from it quite often. I'm thinking that the twenty plus years experience I have in buying, restoring, and using 100 year plus old blades is not very relevant to some of the new discussions. I would say there are many really good new blades, mostly custom. I have absolutely no experience in new manufactured straight blades as I have had such success with older steel. I generally prefer pre 1900 Sheffield steel and particularly ivory scales because they are becoming more rare. Horn, bone, and other natural material are worth preserving. The artisan skills of early bladesmiths are worth preserving. I would say before you get caught up in all your expertise, realize these blades have been around for centuries and there is no canned answers on how to do it best. Use this site to extract ideas and find what works for you. If you know it all why bother posting here. It is an amazing hobby and preserving the earlier blades is a worthy goal. I may just step back and take in the advice and not offer much going forward.

 

[RHensley]

I understand where you're coming from. For the last few years I've haunted eBay and other places and acquired several razors to clean and recondition then hone only to pass them on to others. Mostly to new straight razor shavers. I can't say I'm much good at honing but have been able to get a shave off of these razors and it's been fun and a good hobby. I've used different hones and have settled on the Naniwa super stones and finishing on the Suehiro . I guess it all depends on what you like and get use too.