Gold Dollar Straight for a newbie

[buca3152]

Many of the new ones are not stamped (laser etched)so the warpage is reduced. Most are single stabilizer which makes em easier to.hone as well. I think they are a screaming buy. 10 for under 50 bucks is your ticket to learn to hone. Or you can buy 10 dovo best for $1000. Lol.

 

[Seraphim]

I'm still receiving stamped models.

The laser etched are a bit nicer.

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

I got my first straight last christmas anf it was a gd. I dinged the edge and one of the gents here honed it out for me and now it is my number one favorite razor. I guess what im tring to say is if you get a GD have it honed by some one who knows what they are doing.

And where prey tell, would the fun be in that?!
For the price you can get them for, buy two... If you really make an appalling hash of one, you have the opportunity of learning what not to do and ensure it's not repeated on the 2nd. There are also lots and lots of resources on-line about what and what not to do when it comes to honing blades. Sure there's quite a notable site dedicated to the gentlemanly art of shaving.... Can't think of the name of it....

 

[buca3152]

I'm still receiving stamped models.

The laser etched are a bit nicer.

The 66s have been stamped always, the other higher numbered models have been hit and miss, but many are laser etched. I would imagine they will all be soon. If I could ask anything it would be for better scales though. Not that they arent functional but sturdier and better peened would be nice, The double arrow I just got has nicer scales for sure, theres actually a wedge in between the scales and they appear to be hand peened, although I cant be certain. Im rather impressed with it, nice cellulite looking acrylic scales! LOL.

 

[Seraphim]

Hmmm, I had many Double Arrows pass through my hands back in the day. Exact same crummy scales as nowadays. Was yours some sort of vintage model?

 

[buca3152]

Cant say for sure, Its the only one ive ever seen in real life. It does have a wedge though and the pinning appears to be done by hand. I will post a pic.

 

[RayC1993]

I got PIF'd a boker king cutter and granted I don't end up in the ER tonight after the kids are in bed when I shave I'll let you guys know how my first straight shave goes!

 

[SciTX]

I got PIF'd a boker king cutter and granted I don't end up in the ER tonight after the kids are in bed when I shave I'll let you guys know how my first straight shave goes!

good luck!

 

[Seraphim]

The ER has WiFi, send pics of your stitches!

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

Not wishing to boast, but it's going to sound that way......

The GD 66 I got yesterday is now useable as a razor.
suspect there is a bit more work to do to get it better (still waiting for the 10k oilstone to arrive via post), but the first proper shave test has been done and it didn't feel like I was using a razor-shaped rake to shave with.
True, it didn't feel like a shave with a fresh feather blade either... however, think with a wee bit more light honing (paste & leather) and a strop could have a real contender on my hands.

 

[Seraphim]

I would suggest going back and spending some more time on the bevel. That's where the true smoothness comes from.

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

I would suggest going back and spending some more time on the bevel. That's where the true smoothness comes from.

Thanks for that, that is the intention anyway... Still awaiting the delivery of a 10k stone, which from what has been mentioned both on B&B, YouTube and other places is an element that I am still missing.
Sadly, the stones I have currently have no grit size details- just an arbitrary coarse, medium and fine.
sure I can find some details though.

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

@Seraphim. Just had to say, huge thanks for the prompting about the bevel setting process.
started at the beginning again, with the medium side of the vintage Norton Indian stone I have... The twist this time, put 2 lots of tape on the spine as opposed to a single layer.
The logic being that 2 layers would have a slightly less obtuse angle and hone to more acute edge.


After this, took my time with a CrO2 pasted bit of chamoise leather... Glued to a piece of 3' x 1' x 6' wood.... Doing twice as many passes as previously (80 there & back).

Next, suede with 0.5 micron diamond polishing compound impregnated into it... again, mounted as the chamoise above.
lastly, leather strop... 140 there and backs....

Well, reason and logic prevailed and I'm now getting a HHT-3 out of it... Rather than just making my forearm a bit more feminine looking.

 

[bluesman 7]

The logic being that 2 layers would have a slightly less obtuse angle and hone to more acute edge

.

Actually the opposite of this.

 

[Seraphim]

Actually the opposite of this.

+1

 

[buffalo]

Yall are making me want a straight again!! my wife though this was going to save me money...

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

Actually the opposite of this.

Yeah, looking round a more accute angle is indicated... Maybe the tape I used was thinner than "standard" insulation tape (it was dirt cheap). So it's possible that the 2nd layer of tape makes it more like the correct thickness.
I can only go on the results I'm getting... Which tests indicate are better.
However, I am still yet to receive the 10k stone... Which obviously would add a further stage to the honing process.

Out of curiosity, do people use different tapes to protect the spine during honing? I ask as I have other options in that regard; from the dirt cheap insulation tape through to silver duct tape which is notably thicker.

**got pictures now also, so you can see what's what:
http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/51331&catid=member&imageuser=99092

It's still not "perfect", but it's not a butter knife... and it did do much better in the HHT than my previous attempt at honing....

 

[McVeyMac]

The GD is probably the very best razor to learn to hone on as buca points out. It is also one of the very best razors to learn to shave with for those who are not certain that the straight razor is for them. I have received some of the very best shaves of my life from my GD 100 after I honed it well. If you are more concerned with other things that factor into pride of ownership, then the GD is probably not for you. But, if you just want to learn to hone or learn to shave, they are very hard to beat. But, do not expect them to be shave ready coming from the factory, and getting mine shave ready took me a fair amount of time. But this was my learning experiment, and I found it very successful.

 

[Marquis_De_Wyld]

The GD is probably the very best razor to learn to hone on as buca points out. It is also one of the very best razors to learn to shave with for those who are not certain that the straight razor is for them. I have received some of the very best shaves of my life from my GD 100 after I honed it well. If you are more concerned with other things that factor into pride of ownership, then the GD is probably not for you. But, if you just want to learn to hone or learn to shave, they are very hard to beat. But, do not expect them to be shave ready coming from the factory, and getting mine shave ready took me a fair amount of time. But this was my learning experiment, and I found it very successful.

As a new owner of a 66, cannot argue with any of the above.... especially the part about experimenting!
For me, there is a strange pride in it - I regard it as a house that is in sore need of work to get it up and running....

The pride comes from having something that many may disregard, turning it into something that is both practical and visually pleasing... I have noticed that the GDs find a niche as "mod fodder" for those who want to try different scales and/or blade shapes (many fines examples are to be found on B&B straight razor forums).

 

[buca3152]

Sure you can definitely do lots with these. The steel is good, the grinds are fine as well. Go with the flow on these and hone them as they are. You will have to learn different strokes. One stroke doesnt fit all anyway. Keep plugging and looking forward to seeing some pics of your modded creations!