Curious ‘bout Gold Dollar

[Raymondmillbrae]

Hey, folks...I recently purchased my first straight razor.

I have not got around to shaving with it yet, but I will soon.

I will shave my face and head with it.

Anyhoo...it supposedly came “ready to shave”.

I am currently looking for a low-cost SR to practice honing and lapping.

I saw a Gold Dollar razor at WSP for $13.00.

(CLICK HERE)

It’s the Gold Dollar 208.

Should I go for it?

Im just worried about the scales being crooked, and the blade hitting the scales when it closes.

No returns.

I found something similar in Amazon, for $1.00 cheaper after shipping. And the “plus” is that I can return it if damaged with Amazon Prime.

But then again, I like to patronize razor merchants.

Hmmm...

Or better yet, can someone refer me to a nicer blade, NOT MADE IN CHINA, for a similar price. (Twenty dollarish).


I’ve searched the classifieds on this site, but couldn’t find anything.

Links would help.

‘Preciate it!

 

[EspressoAndAftershave]

I've bought three re-done Gold Dollars from @Slash McCoy (Crescent City Razors on the Bay), and can recommend his work. The scales are switched out to nicer looking ones, and it's truly shave-ready when it arrives. It's good to start with a SR that's actually shave-ready, so that you know what it's supposed to feel like. As an added bonus, it's actually a good, inexpensive razor that's not disposable after you learn to hone, strop, and shave.

Check with him. IIRC, mine were around $35. shipped. Solid, great shavers, and don't feel cheap. I just wish he'd make some with white handles (hint, hint).

 

[global_dev]

to learn to hone, the 208 should be fine.

Im just worried about the scales being crooked, and the blade hitting the scales when it closes.

I wouldn't worry too much about this, you can guide the blade very easily into the scales. as long as the scales and blade are not wet, there shouldn't be any problem that they touch when properly inserted.

I found something similar in Amazon, for $1.00 cheaper after shipping. And the “plus” is that I can return it if damaged with Amazon Prime.

if you feel like its good insurance, i would do it.

Or better yet, can someone refer me to a nicer blade, NOT MADE IN CHINA, for a similar price. (Twenty dollarish).

contact whippeddog, he can give you a vintage used razor (really used) that you might find appropriate for the price point. $20 doesn't get you much though in terms of new


edit: didn't read the OP well, sorry

 

[Tedolph]

gold Dollar 208?

excellent metallurgy, terrible quality control. Worth the risk. Many modders of Gold Dollars.

 

[EspressoAndAftershave]

Mine:



Close-up:

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

For those that took the time to help answer my specific questions (price wise, and for the reason I was purchasing one)...THANK YOU!

I ended-up going with theGold Dollar 208 from A. Prime.

It boiled down to being able to return it, if it arrived damaged.

And with A. Prime, the return shipping is free.

For the price it seemed like a decent SR to cut my sharpening-teeth on. And the reviews confirmed it was indeed the 208 series SR.

I started a thread about two weeks ago here, in regards to the 2 or 3 stones needed to maintain an edge on a straight razor. (Not create one).

I guess the next step for me is going on a journey to find a set of 3 stones to maintain a great edge.

I’m leaning towards an 8,000 grit, a 12-15,000 grit, and maybe a 25-30,000 grit stone.

I’ve been looking around.

Thanks again!

 

[global_dev]

Congrats on the purchase!

I’m leaning towards an 8,000 grit, a 12-15,000 grit, and maybe a 25-30,000 grit stone

good luck with the stones!

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

Congrats on the purchase!

Thanks for your help, Global-Dev.

Thanks for your help, Global-Dev.

 

[global_dev]

no problem, i just honed up a bunch of gold dollars these past 2 days.. just wanted something to hone and play around with that I don't mind messing up that much. Ask as many questions as you need. we are all here to help,

 

[Slash McCoy]

Ah. Those ^^^^ scales on mine look identical to the ones on Whipped Dog's site. I had assumed that you replaced them. Intredasting. Either way, the scales are solid, the action has good friction, and the blades are sharp - just what I look for in any SR, regardless of price. What's your opinion on their steel?

Seems fine to me.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

no problem, i just honed up a bunch of gold dollars these past 2 days.. just wanted something to hone and play around with that I don't mind messing up that much. Ask as many questions as you need. we are all here to help,

Thanks.

I picked up my first straight razor about 2 weeks ago.

It is a “W. H. Morley and Son 222”.

I have not used it yet. I am still perfecting my face and head shave with my (also new) Carbon Shaving CX-316L.

I actually won a new Tony Miller strop in a recent PIF. And I told myself, “If I win this strop, I’m committing myself to purchasing a nice straight razor”.

I won the strop, so...

Anyhoo, I wanted to learn to maintain a straight razor on something “less nice” than the W. H. Morley & Son straight razor.

And that’s the rest of my story...and I’m sticking to it.

 

[global_dev]

Nice, That morley should be great. I practiced the motions of stropping and shaving with the back of a butter knife.

 

[camoloc]

Thanks.

I picked up my first straight razor about 2 weeks ago.

It is a “W. H. Morley and Son 222”.

I have not used it yet. I am still perfecting my face and head shave with my (also new) Carbon Shaving CX-316L.

I actually won a new Tony Miller strop in a recent PIF. And I told myself, “If I win this strop, I’m committing myself to purchasing a nice straight razor”.

I won the strop, so...

Anyhoo, I wanted to learn to maintain a straight razor on something “less nice” than the W. H. Morley & Son straight razor.

And that’s the rest of my story...and I’m sticking to it.

View attachment 1122995

nice Morley!!!! they are a nice blade........

camo

 

[Slash McCoy]

For those that took the time to help answer my specific questions (price wise, and for the reason I was purchasing one)...THANK YOU!

I ended-up going with theGold Dollar 208 from A. Prime.

It boiled down to being able to return it, if it arrived damaged.

And with A. Prime, the return shipping is free.

For the price it seemed like a decent SR to cut my sharpening-teeth on. And the reviews confirmed it was indeed the 208 series SR.

I started a thread about two weeks ago here, in regards to the 2 or 3 stones needed to maintain an edge on a straight razor. (Not create one).

I guess the next step for me is going on a journey to find a set of 3 stones to maintain a great edge.

I’m leaning towards an 8,000 grit, a 12-15,000 grit, and maybe a 25-30,000 grit stone.

I’ve been looking around.

Thanks again!

View attachment 1122958

You are going to need something in the 320 to 400 range, and something in the 1k to 2k range to get the bevel set. If you want to go cheap and especially if you are not honing a whole bunch of these, get a 3x12 acrylic plate no less than 3/4" thick from TAP Plastics, and some good quality wet/dry sandpaper. Crease and tear into thirds, longways. Lightly spray the back of a piece, stick it carefully on the acrylic, being sure you don't have any air bubbles or micro debris underneath. There. Now you have a dead flat bevel setter with a renewable surface. Go with 600 and 2k grit paper. This stuff cuts dreadfully fast and if you are inexperienced you will get a very chippy edge that you will have to tame before you get up into the progression. The 208 doesn't need as much heavy industrial steel removal as say a 66. 600 grit red resin type paper will get you started fairly well.

Don't buy a 25k grit stone. Don't buy small stones, or cheap ones. If you want stones, get a Naniwa Superstone in each of 1k, 3k, 8k, and 12k. Otherwise get lapping film (BE SURE TO GET THE RIGHT STUFF!) at 15u, 9u, 3u, and 1u. That's microns. For post finish you want properly set up and used lapped and pasted balsa, .5u, .25u, and .1u diamond paste. See the Newbie Honing Compendium for the details. And yes, the details are absolutely essential, all of them, if you want Method results.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

I was looking at this gentlemen’s sharpening style.

He seems super knowledgable about metallurgy and stones.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

I was impressed with his knowledge and style. Especially how he explained why he did what he did in every step.

 

[global_dev]

Not a bad video, the shapton glass are nice.
The films are nice too, much cheaper. Both require understanding how to use them. other stones exist for much cheaper and satisfactory progression.

before dropping that much coin, realize a couple things i didnt know before i started

• that guy hones a lot of razors for his store
• You might not like the size lxw of the stones
• You might not like a 30k edge

If you have only 1 or 2 razors to maintain, stones arent a great value

Not to dissuade you from procuring what you desire, just that there is a lot of thjngs to consider. You might love the shapton glass in use and be pretty happy

For example, i dont know if coticule, jnat, escher finishers would ever go from a 30k to the natural to finish. They might, i just havent seen much discussion of it.

what are your constraints, if any? For example, i eventually knew i was going to hone a bunch and try out a bunch of not shave ready razors. is that your plan?

 

[LJS]

I was impressed with his knowledge and style. Especially how he explained why he did what he did in every step.

He reintroduced Belgian stones to the US? Ok.

I flipped through that and was very surprised that he had a razor coming off 8K stone that didn’t shave :-O You need to be able to shave well off 1K and by 8K you should be well ready for a finishing stone to give it the feel/sharp you like. He said he was a tool guy in that video and that is probably the case. Lots of styles and ways to sharpen and hone razors but you should expect better results than that.

 

[global_dev]

Only watched 60 seconds and saw the glass stones. I think i have coti stamped with that store name from about 8-10 years ago.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

I flipped through that and was very surprised that he had a razor coming off 8K stone that didn’t shave :-O You need to be able to shave well off 1K and by 8K you should be well ready for a finishing stone to give it the feel/sharp you like.

Just being neutral here.

But at 8,000 he could shave with it. He even said he popped a few hairs when he changed the angle as he was removing the blade from his arm.

In another video, he also says he does not strop his blades. They are shave-ready when they come off the stones.

Maybe, like you mentioned, that is just his style if doing this.

Regardless, I learned quite a few things from this video.

Now (for me) it’s just about gathering information, and “separating the wheat from the chaff”.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

The films are nice too, much cheaper. Both require understanding how to use them. other stones exist for much cheaper and satisfactory progression.

I’m currently looking around and pricing a few different types of stones. I’ve also considered films, but do not know too much about them, or the actual usage of them.

Gotta do some Google-Fu on the process.

I am pretty solid with sharpening metal, as I used to build knives when I was younger.

I’m also good at carving leather, and still have a few slabs of marble and granite laying around from when I was making small leather-carving/stamping tables.

For example, i dont know if coticule, jnat, escher finishers would ever go from a 30k to the natural to finish. They might, i just havent seen much discussion of it.

I have no idea what you just said here. “...would ever go from a 30k to the natural to finish”?

what are your constraints, if any? For example, i eventually knew i was going to hone a bunch and try out a bunch of not shave ready razors. is that your plan?

I know this for sure - I am not going to start a completely new hobby of purchasing SR’s and honing in massive quantities.

I was looking at getting a solid/decent setup, to maintain the SR I just purchased.

I mentioned leather carving and stamping earlier, because I have marble and granite pieces that I can quite possibly use if I decide to go with the “films”.

But with everything, I still need to do more research, and find instructional videos on the film-lapping process.

Any links?