Packaging...
First and foremost, this razor comes in Dovo's "new" style razor boxes, which are actually metal containers, lined with a soft foam. Much, much nicer than the standard Dovo razor box.... a nice touch for sure....
Markings/Etchings....
Alright... this is my biggest (ok - only) complaint with this razor, to me (just my opinion) the razor has all sorts of conflicting fonts, text/marking colors, and it really imparts a cheap/cheezy look to the razor. It isn't offensive by any means... but again.... it just doesn't do much for me, and for what is otherwise a really smart looking razor (wonderful blade profile/shape/size, cool pattern down the spine, cool faux ivory scales, that actually have a "grain" to the plastic, etc etc) really gets cheapened with the "over the top" corn ball markings.
I am quite fond of the cursive markings, and feel it would have really classed up the razor to simply stick with the cursive....
Scales....
Really a nice/neat faux ivory handle, and in my opinion the finest faux ivory handle I have seen to date, and is not dissimilar to a Rooney shaving brushes faux Ivory, in that it has a very distinct/neat grain to the plastic.
Blade/Performance....
This razor has a very interesting blade profile, which works quite well. It's comfortable to use, has a considerable heft (this feels more like the weight of a 7/8ths) and really provides a superlative shave. Like most dovo stainless steel blades, once properly honed, it can be a real doll of a shaver, really a joy to use!
I established the initial edge with a medium course Spyderco hone, then followed up with a Norton 4K, then moved to a Norton 8K, then finally a Belgian White Corticle. No pastes were required to hone this sucker up, and while you COULD achieve a finer edge with diamond pastes, it's really a smooth shaver, and you'd really have to bung things up to get irritation with. Really a fine daily shaver!
Overall - While it is not really my cup of tea, this is a very fine razor, with a superlative blade profile, a TON of markings, and for the right person - a great mix of features/options. For the money, I feel this is a VERY reasonable razor.... in fact.... I would go as far as to say, this razor is probably one of the best deals out there, as it is a mere $120, it's a very heavy 6/8, it's stainless steel, it has "fancy" markings, and is not plane jane by any means, and is a superlative shaver. For the money, I can't think of a better razor, and for the $120 asking price, if it were my first razor - I'd purchase it over a NOS Henckels, low end Thiers Issard, or medium/high end Dovo.
TO DISCUSS THIS REVIEW, PLEASE SEE THIS THREAD!
First and foremost, this razor comes in Dovo's "new" style razor boxes, which are actually metal containers, lined with a soft foam. Much, much nicer than the standard Dovo razor box.... a nice touch for sure....
Markings/Etchings....
Alright... this is my biggest (ok - only) complaint with this razor, to me (just my opinion) the razor has all sorts of conflicting fonts, text/marking colors, and it really imparts a cheap/cheezy look to the razor. It isn't offensive by any means... but again.... it just doesn't do much for me, and for what is otherwise a really smart looking razor (wonderful blade profile/shape/size, cool pattern down the spine, cool faux ivory scales, that actually have a "grain" to the plastic, etc etc) really gets cheapened with the "over the top" corn ball markings.
I am quite fond of the cursive markings, and feel it would have really classed up the razor to simply stick with the cursive....
Scales....
Really a nice/neat faux ivory handle, and in my opinion the finest faux ivory handle I have seen to date, and is not dissimilar to a Rooney shaving brushes faux Ivory, in that it has a very distinct/neat grain to the plastic.
Blade/Performance....
This razor has a very interesting blade profile, which works quite well. It's comfortable to use, has a considerable heft (this feels more like the weight of a 7/8ths) and really provides a superlative shave. Like most dovo stainless steel blades, once properly honed, it can be a real doll of a shaver, really a joy to use!
I established the initial edge with a medium course Spyderco hone, then followed up with a Norton 4K, then moved to a Norton 8K, then finally a Belgian White Corticle. No pastes were required to hone this sucker up, and while you COULD achieve a finer edge with diamond pastes, it's really a smooth shaver, and you'd really have to bung things up to get irritation with. Really a fine daily shaver!
Overall - While it is not really my cup of tea, this is a very fine razor, with a superlative blade profile, a TON of markings, and for the right person - a great mix of features/options. For the money, I feel this is a VERY reasonable razor.... in fact.... I would go as far as to say, this razor is probably one of the best deals out there, as it is a mere $120, it's a very heavy 6/8, it's stainless steel, it has "fancy" markings, and is not plane jane by any means, and is a superlative shaver. For the money, I can't think of a better razor, and for the $120 asking price, if it were my first razor - I'd purchase it over a NOS Henckels, low end Thiers Issard, or medium/high end Dovo.
TO DISCUSS THIS REVIEW, PLEASE SEE THIS THREAD!
