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Ever used a cheap straight razor you've really liked?

Title pretty much says it. Ever tried a razor that would generally be regarded as cheap junk that you ended up really liking?
 
Shavers here speak highly of gold dollars / Titan and vintage fleabay vintage little known brands which take a great edge and give a great shave !
 
Dissing the entry level Dovo Best Solingen razor seems popular. I don't know that it qualifies as cheap junk. Mine didn't require any correction to the edge/bevel and is a fine basic razor.

My first western SR was a Gold Dollar PIF that the original owner had brought up to snuff. It shaved me well, but I passed it on to a friend. Do guys like Gold Dollars, or do they like inexpensive raw material for projects?

I think all of us who restore wild vintage razors are looking for cheap junk appearance and pricing on razors that are diamonds in the rough. I have found my share if those.

If there is someone out there that really likes those jackknife or horror movie inspired SRs found online, I hope they find this thread and explain it to all of us.
 

Legion

Staff member
I used a Gold Dollar 208 exclusively for over a month while I traveled, and it was fine. After I got it honed (which took a little while) it performed as well as you would want from any other razor.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Most of my straight razors are "cheap", having been purchased for under USD 100. There is not one out of my current 23 SR's that I don't really like.

The cheapest SR I still have that I really like is a Gold Dollar W59 at about USD 10. This SR is not for the faint of heart.

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I paid $7 on eBay for this razor branded as "Gold Zoo" by Kalamazoo Pharmacal Co. of Kalamazoo Michigan. I was drawn to it because I went to school in Kalamazoo and have many great memories from there. It cleaned up nicely. I went with "The Method" on this one and it shaves very well. It's a piece of personal history for me.

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Like others have said, with vintage razors you can certainly find them for not much money but that doesn't necessarily make them cheap. However, in terms of cheaply made, which is a different thing entirely, I have a Soviet made razor that has one-piece plastic scales, and while the grind is very thin, the blade face is what I would generously call a rough satin finish. The grind is also just a touch asymmetrical. In spite of all this, it is one of my top shavers.
 
All my razors are vintage except for a couple gold dollars..I’ve bought a lot of cheap vintage razors that have surprised me.
However the biggest surprise was this goldmonkey(gold dollar)
It’s the 777 model.I bought it for like ten dollars shipped.I expected the usual from gold dollar…But this one was great.
Good geometry,The steel honed up really well, be honest I use it more than my other razors right now due to the fact I’m not afraid to experiment on it.
The gold dollars can surprise you! Be it good or bad lol
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This one:

 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Of course. Gold Dollars, naturally. I really like the P-81 for its tremendous value and usability for the very low price. A Titan worked out well for me, and it was actually Titan's cheapest razor that I liked the best in that brand. Some very cheap and very common vintage razors have found favor with me, particularly Union Spikes, which usually go cheaper than Gencos. Price will often indicate or provide an expectation of a certain level of quality and usefulness, but sometimes a cheapie will surprise and please you and sometimes a high priced razor will let you down.
 
I've gotten wonderful shaves out of $5 Gold Dollar 66s. and been seriously impressed with one of @Slash McCoy's tuned up versions.

and plenty of vintages.

good geometry and steel, a good hone, and any will shave as well or better than a fancy, pricey custom. everything beyond those core criteria is aestetics and choice.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
....
good geometry and steel, a good hone, and any will shave as well or better than a fancy, pricey custom. everything beyond those core criteria is aestetics and choice.
^ +1

Many pay a lot for aesthetics and that inside feel-good, myself included.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Ninety five per cent of my razors are just that. Fairly cheap vintage razors that I really like. A few of my favourites I acquired came with some funky grind marks, or attempted mods that didn’t pan out, or worn out makers marks. Not going to fetch top dollar but a win win for me and I don’t give a gee whiz as long as the edge is intact and the razor is somewhat workable. Shaved with a preferred razor this morning, some grind marks on the spine that shouldn’t be there, but dead flat on the stones and takes a fine edge…$15.
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