New Straight Razor Arrived with Blade Wedged Within Scales

Hi SN friends,

I ordered my first straight razor & need some advice about whether or not how it arrived should be a concern--and warrant a return? Or if the situation is fine--and not to worry. I'm a newbie and maybe being too precious? Then again, too new to know!

The razor arrived with the blade wedged down between the scales and stuck within them, with the cutting blade unprotected & exposed along the opposite edge of the handle/scales. Had I not been careful taking it out of the baggie, I'd have sliced all my fingertips.  I hated to do it, but the spine was completely shoved down in the scales, the only way to un-stick the blade, was to press it firmly into a soft piece of cardboard--to push it back up and through. 

Once loose, the spine of the blade doesn't seem to have pushed out or dented the resin scales. The blade doesn't seem to want to drop too far down between the scales--the cutting edge appears to be protected now, with the spine resting atop the scales.

But, as this is my first straight razor, a Thiers Issard LE that Fendrihan had at a great sale price!--I guess I was just surprised & disappointed by how it arrived. I'm too much of a newbie to know if this is a worrisome state for it to have arrived in--or if it's no big deal and just happens sometimes? Even on sale, it's enough of an investment for me that I'm a little worried and uncertain.

Any thoughts? I hope I don't sound like a knob!

 

updated this with a couple pics--more pics further down (post #4 or 5?)

pictures would help,

you might want to reach out to Fendrihan and express your concern.

Since you're new to straights you probably didn't think to take a photo prior to, "pushing the blade back through" the scales. The razor must have been dropped or "damaged" during shipment, either from TI to Fendrihan or in shipment to you. It soundw like the blade might now be sitting properly in the scales, but my main concern is with the edge of the blade. It is certainly dull from pushing on it with the cardboard. Without looking at the edge with a loupe it's impossible to tell whether damage has been done. If not, you should have it professionally honed before using it for the first time, which generally needs to be done for most new razors as they rarely arrive shave ready, as advertised. However, I'd ask Fendrihan to exchange it for another razor.

It could just be a shipping issue.  the USPS has mangled more than one of my packages and actually delivered one to a customer OPEN.

If there is no damage to the edge or scales I would not worry. The way TI packs a razor is to wrap it in paper and fit it in it's leather case. From personal experience I am never as good as the factory at wrapping those razors. Getting them back in the case wrapped is a PITA. Probably someone at Fendrihan did a QC check on it, rewrapped it and used a little to much oomph to get it back in the leather case.

  

   

I snapped quick pics when I took the razor out of the plastic baggie. This is how it arrived. Thanks again for input. I don't want to start a return process unnecessarily if this is nothing to be worried about. Considering how it arrived, I'm not sure having a replacement sent will be any better--if either the packing/shipping shake-rattle-and-roll is extreme. As perhaps was the case here. DHL routed it incorrectly to the wrong state, which kept the package circulating longer than it should have.

* packing--the razor shipped outside of the leather sheath, along side it loose in a baggie. It didn't fall out of the sheath, that was looped shut. Nothing wrapped directly around either item--just the 2 parts in a baggie and the baggie itself sandwiched between 2 large wads of paper.

With the way it was packed...Iv'e never seen a TI packed that way. It may have been the last one they had in the showcase or something. Up to you. They may have loosened the pins on the razor packing it that way. The Legende Series uses a two piece scale with no wedge so if there is no splitting or cracking around the circumference of the pins you should be OK. It's a judgement call depending on price and availability. Crappy packing job.

Something doesn’t look right with that pivot pin and the blade should never push through like that, ever. I would start a conversation with Doc226 and see what he thinks. He knows his way around a straight razor better than most, trust me on that one.
~Royce

If the scales come back to their original shape when you open the razor and wedge the razor properly when you close it I don't think i'd worry about it.
If they seem oddly bowed or the edge has a nick of ANY kind in it I'd send it back.

Nothing further from the OP? Hope he at least let Fendrihan know about it. They are a solid outfit and would make things right. No doubt also take steps to prevent others from the same fate. I am a satisfied customer of many years and several TI straight LEs from Fendrihan...