Ouch!... ok this will be long winded post… so hang on.
Now… bear in mind… it is difficult to tell much because the photos are quite dark and only show parts of the razor (this is one of the few times I will say “the close-up photos are too close”) and I also don’t have it in my hand to give a proper examination… so much of my comments could be way off…
Vintage razors often have those grind marks on the face, in fact, there are very few “full hollow” razors that are mirror polished on the face (most will be polished on the Spine, the Tang and the Tail, but very rare on the Face). Much of those polished Full Hollow razors you see folks selling have most likely been sanded to remove pitting and then polished, this “process” will remove most or all the original grind marks on the Face.
Those scratches on both sides at the point near the spine, is most likely where the blade contact the scales when closed, sometimes moisture gets inside the scales and settles at that point of contact and begin tarnishing the steel in a line following the top of the scales (Incidentally… this is one clue some collectors look for, if they suspect the original scales were replaced).
Here begins My Humble Opinion…
While it is possible the blade was honed to remove a chip I do not see the big “flat spot" on the spine (unless it was taped), but in that case you should see somewhat larger (and fresh cut) bevels along the heel. Don’t worry too much about the heel being shorter that the point, many excellent vintage razors were manufactured that way… in fact, I believe Point wider than the Heel is a much better profile than a Turned Up Point (point narrower than the heel).
There appears to be a second “dark spot” at the edge near the point (or could be a dark reflection at the edge)… the bevel/edge appears to be rounded in that spot… If this is so, then it is almost certain someone went at the edge with an abrasive wheel… and they slipped.
Again it is difficult to be sure because I do not have it in hand…. But I would say the blade could be either “Warped” or “Canted”. You can check for Warp by laying the razor on a hone, check that the middle at the edge touch the hone, then flip the blade and check if the middle still touches. If the middle touches on both sides then your blade may not be warped, however, if the middle does not touch the hone on one side then most likely your blade is warped. A “canted” blade on the other hand is a different animal… it’s not much talked about so I will go into some detail… have a look at these two photos of a razor with an extreme Canted Blade:
In the first photo… if you draw an imaginary vertical line between, and parallel to the scales, the line should also strike the edge “dead center” of the blade all the way to the point… in this case it does not… because the edge is not dead center between each scale but instead is canted to one side, and now resembles a Section Razor.
The other photo of the same razor shows the effect when closing the blade… even though the scales are straight, even and un-warped… because the blade is canted to one side; the edge touches one scale when closing… Now a mild case is not so bad so long as the blade is not also warped. It will hone up easy and give a good shave (all else being equal).
Lastly... I suspect that razor was originally a square point, but for some reason, someone modified it to a round point using an abrasive wheel… that would account for the burn mark at the point… but whatever the cause… that burn is NOT a good sign, and the razor must be returned.
What to do? If you plan to return it, I would suggest you start with a “polite” message to the seller requesting a return for a full refund, as this blade is not in “collectible” condition, especially because of that “burn mark”. Pretend you are a seasoned collector and “word” the message as such, so even if the seller “thinks” she is an antiquarian, will most likely accede to your wisdom and grant the request (no fuss). If however the seller insists that the sale was fare and square (and goodness forbid… thinks that razor is in excellent condition), then you are probably dealing with someone who thinks there is nothing else to learn… then DO NOT waste any more time… immediately open a case with eBay… .
It appears you already have opened a case… please let us know how it works out… from what I see of these photos, you have more than enough ammunition to win this battle.
