Gold Dollar 66, 100, or 208?

[CTM]

Yeah I feel the same way on doing X-Strokes I feel that if the hone is big enough to accommodate your razor back-and-forths should be fine if your razor geometry is all squared away. I see some people doing that Japanese swooping stroke, and I bet it puts horizontal scratches on the bevel

Up untill today I made the realization that I don’t need to do them. What I normally do his regular back-and-forths and then once I’m done with each stone I would do a couple very light clean up X’s.

On the other hand if you have a stone that is like 1 1/2 inches or something then I could see someone doing it.

Because to me you’re just grinding down the toe Unnecessarily

 

[Slash McCoy]

Do you get to do the heel fix on the 208’s. Doesn’t look like it has that big nasty shoulder

There. Fixed it for you.

Most razors can benefit from a slight amount of heel reprofiling, TBH. But you don't HAVE to. It just makes it easier.

Yes the 208 is fairly well mannered but I think the P81 is a little better.

 

[Jud]

I picked up 2 Gold Dollar without stabilizer off the Amazon. No model number. If you know what it is please let me know. I was planning on 1 as a gift for my daughters boy friend and the other as a back up if something did not go right. Or the blade was not right. Both hone great and are great shavers. Gave one as a Christmas gift and kept the other. I was impressed with the razors so I ordered 2 model 66. I read about removing the stabilizer, but decided to hone it instead. Well the damn thing shaves great! So I ordered a 100, 200, 208, & 300. All I can say is it is amazing for the price it is one heck of a deal.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I picked up 2 Gold Dollar without stabilizer off the Amazon. No model number. If you know what it is please let me know. I was planning on 1 as a gift for my daughters boy friend and the other as a back up if something did not go right. Or the blade was not right. Both hone great and are great shavers. Gave one as a Christmas gift and kept the other. I was impressed with the razors so I ordered 2 model 66. I read about removing the stabilizer, but decided to hone it instead. Well the damn thing shaves great! So I ordered a 100, 200, 208, & 300. All I can say is it is amazing for the price it is one heck of a deal.

Pics? Description? The one you want to ID. Does it have "1996" etched on the shank? What sort of scales? Any other markings? You aren't giving us much to work with.

I agree, for the money, a GD is hard to beat. But you will enjoy them a lot more, especially honing a 66, if you reprofile the heel.

 

[Jud]

At children’s hospital our 3 year old daughter getting Chemotherapy treatments. Will have to get photo once home.

 

[Slash McCoy]

At children’s hospital our 3 year old daughter getting Chemotherapy treatments. Will have to get photo once home.

wow that's got to be really tough. Tell her all her Badger uncles wish her the best!

 

[Jud]

Well go to hone the 300 & 200 this weekend. WOW is all I can say!!! it shaves as good as my vintage razors! Buttery smooth feeling, no burn with aftershave! No red spots. Loving it!!! I shaved with a different razor this morning, cause I wanted to check the razor before losing it out. Will try the 200 in the morning, similar blade so I expect the same results. Wish I had gone this route before sinking money into project vintage razors that had much more work required. Gold dollar 300's are hone ready!

208 I broke the scale on, but that is ok. Did not try to mess with the 100 for this reason. Thinking both will be good mod razors.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I picked up 2 Gold Dollar without stabilizer off the Amazon. No model number. If you know what it is please let me know. I was planning on 1 as a gift for my daughters boy friend and the other as a back up if something did not go right. Or the blade was not right. Both hone great and are great shavers. Gave one as a Christmas gift and kept the other. I was impressed with the razors so I ordered 2 model 66. I read about removing the stabilizer, but decided to hone it instead. Well the damn thing shaves great! So I ordered a 100, 200, 208, & 300. All I can say is it is amazing for the price it is one heck of a deal.

It's a P-81, but instead of the not very pretty flat acrylic scales that used to go on that model, they put big monster wooden ones and a gigantic metal spacer that probably weights a full ounce. I did really like that model but now they have "upgraded" the scales so they can charge more for it.

 

[rbscebu]

It's a P-81, but instead of the not very pretty flat acrylic scales that used to go on that model, they put big monster wooden ones and a gigantic metal spacer that probably weights a full ounce. I did really like that model but now they have "upgraded" the scales so they can charge more for it.

Looks don't shave but a gigantic metal spacer may be needed to have the razor balance at about the pivot pin. That is one reason why I use a lead spacer with scales of lighter mass.

I understand that you often prefer razors that balance at or near the blade's shoulder but most do not (myself included).

 

[Slash McCoy]

Looks don't shave but a gigantic metal spacer may be needed to have the razor balance at about the pivot pin. That is one reason why I use a lead spacer with scales of lighter mass.

I understand that you often prefer razors that balance at or near the blade's shoulder but most do not (myself included).

Not at the shoulder. Where you normally grip it. On the shank.

 

[Jud]

I learn more every time I read this. Never thought of balance and straight razors. Going to have to feel my vintage ones now.

GD 300 shaved great this morning, very pleased. Wish I had gone GD when I started last year vs buying bay stuff that was over honed or had no clue what I was getting.

I took th GD 208 for this hospital visit.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I learn more every time I read this. Never thought of balance and straight razors. Going to have to feel my vintage ones now.

GD 300 shaved great this morning, very pleased. Wish I had gone GD when I started last year vs buying bay stuff that was over honed or had no clue what I was getting.

I took th GD 208 for this hospital visit.

keep in mind that a GOOD vintage is a better razor to have than a GD. If you get your hands on say a very nice Union Spike or a Genco Easy Aces, not over loved or over honed, you will find especially as your honing skill improves, that they are the superior razor. Not by much, maybe, but the difference is noticeable. A NOS Filly or Dorko or a top shelf Japanese or Swedish razor will make you see just how very basic a GD really is. But a BAD vintage razor will make a GD free of defects look pretty good.

The GD 208 is a very popular model, though. The best GD is IMHO, the 800. But the one I shave with the most is probably the humble 66, just because they are dirt cheap and I just like to mess with them, and I get satisfaction from having a good shave from an under $5 razor and brandishing that in the face of the razor snobs who insist that trying to hone and shave with one is a waste of time and $. Says sometimes, the guys selling Dovo "Best Quality" for $100+ a pop.

 

[rbscebu]

I learn more every time I read this. Never thought of balance and straight razors. Going to have to feel my vintage ones now.
....

If you open a SR up 180° and then find the balance point, you will discover that most balance within about ±10mm of the pivot pin. Gold Dollar 208 SRs, with their ABS plastic scales, balance at about 25mm to 30mm from the pivot pin towards the blade.

 

[rbscebu]

....
208 I broke the scale on, but that is ok. Did not try to mess with the 100 for this reason. Thinking both will be good mod razors.

You suffer no loss in breaking a scale on the 208. That blade should now be a good candidate for new homemade scales.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I understand that you often prefer razors that balance at or near the blade's shoulder but most do not (myself included).

I can't speak to what anyone else prefers, but factually, most (maybe all, I haven't checked them all) of the razors I own are balanced forward of the pivot pin, usually in the neighborhood of where you would grip the shank.. Of course the balance point shifts every time you adjust the scale angle, and the heavier the scales, the more drastic that shift. Personally, I'm less concerned with exactly where the balance point is, as much as I am that it doesn't move past the width of my thumb when I'm holding the razor open at 135 degrees vs 180 degrees. In other words, I prefer lighter scales.

 

[Mitzie]

Doesn't a 'balance forward of the pivot pin' mean, in use, you tend to hold the razor closer to the blade which results in steadying the hand and more control of the razor

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Doesn't a 'balance forward of the pivot pin' mean, in use, you tend to hold the razor closer to the blade which results in steadying the hand and more control of the razor

Probably. I hardly ever give it any thought, except that I don't like heavy scales flopping around. In terms of stability, I'm more concerned about rotation about the long axis (i.e. changing blade angle relative to the face) than I am about where the balance point is-- and lighter scales are better for that too.

 

[tnhughes]

So from what dealer should a budding SR collector purchase a Gold Dollar from? Who has the best inventory?

 

[rbscebu]

So from what dealer should a budding SR collector purchase a Gold Dollar from? Who has the best inventory?

If buying a single Gold Dollar SR and you are in no rush to receive it, best to buy on AliExpress. If you desire a model that is not readily available elsewhere, you can purchase directly from the manufacturer Ningbo Gold Dollar Razor & Manufacture Co. Ltd. via Alibaba. Shipping costs can be substantially higher on Alibaba.

None of them will come shave-ready but that is common with most new mass produced SRs.

 

[Eastcoast30]

I agree with @Slash McCoy, a good Gold Dollar is better than a bad vintage razor. But that is not the best of recommendations. When it comes to something as close and personal as shaving, I want the best and not something that is better than a bad razor.

But for those that enjoy working with Gold Dollar razors, I do not criticize that. Raising a Gold Dollar to a good shaving level is a worthwhile endeavor.