P.S. Using the 0.3micron lapping film for an extra sharp edge is amazing (tested on my dovo) IMO you strop on it (i.e. not edge leading honing, but: spine leading stropping)
First of all it seems to be a razor (or let's be precise here: an imatation of a razor) that is not meant to have a smile on the edge, because you can see that the spine is straight! I guess you maybe could keep the smile... (I do not know what problems this will create during honing a smiling edge with a straight spine...) I explained in the video that I prefer to take it off because I prefer to hone it as a straightI may have missed the explanation, why did you feel the need to hone the smile out of it?
nice work on the smiling edge there! i really hope you muted the pointy tip & heel! that model might have a better steel? (wonder which razor design they ripped off there btw) i have no idea, but even if it's a better steel, there is no way it's better than the dovo carbon steel! that being said the newer dovo lack a good QC so it's not rare to receive one with odd bevel - and since it's a real cutting edge design and steel , it's really hard to fix it, while the GD have some beef to remove & a much softer steel, i do believe that with ur experience now- you will get better results with a "branded" razor, but... also ... if you happy - no need to (and who knows, maybe this GD do have a carbon steel? you'll know for sure after honing a branded razor tho, the carbon steel is much harder and leave less residue)@StupidBatsy, sorry to hear of the trouble that you had with your Gold Dollar. My experience with Gold Dollar SR's has been a bit different.
I have only tried two GD models, the 208 (three) at about USD 10 each including shipping and the W59 (ten) at about USD 20 each including shipping. The 208 was an okay shaver after I honed it up. The W59 was a different beast altogether.
The Gold Dollar 208 SR has a rather obtuse bevel angle of about 19.5°. I had no trouble honing the GD 208 up to a decent shave-ready condition. The grind was reasonably uniform and the steel appeared to be about 58 to 59 RHC. There was no excessive smile and the steel took a good edge. The only downside I found with this SR was that the razor's balance point was almost at the shoulder when opened 180°. This was not to my liking but that is just a personal preference.
The GD W59 was well balanced being almost at the pivot pin like most good SR's and came with a theoretical bevel angle of 15.6° at mid-length. This SR had a pronounced smile (about 2mm) and a straight spine-wear area.
I have experience in honing smiling edges with straight spine-wear areas. It is not difficult and just requires a bit more care. What this arrangement does mean is that the bevel angle becomes slightly more obtuse towards the heel and toe.
That being said, I prefer my edges not to be as "happy" as the W59 was. For the W59, I bread-knifed the smile out of the blade on the side of a 400 grit Chinese synthetic whetstone and rehoned it up from a 180° bevel angle on a 1k synthetic, lapping films and pasted balsa strops. The whole process from bread-knifing to shave-ready edge off pasted balsa took a little under an hour.
In the following photo, the top view is as received, middle view is after bread-knifing with 180° bevel angle and the bottom view is with new shave-ready edge.
After a bit more work on the pasted balsa strops, the W59 had an edge equal to or even a little keener to a new Feather DE blade. My GD W59 is still my most favoured SR, not necessarily the easiest to shave with.
My Gold Dollar W59 now:
I have had two Dovos, each costing me about USD 100 including shipping. Their quality level was nowhere near the price. They honed up ok but never took a really good shave-ready edge. I ended up giving them away. Never will I buy a Dovo again, although some say that their Bismarck model is worth the price. However, for the price of a Dovo Bismarck, I can have a custom SR made to my exact specifications in Australia that is of similar if not better quality.
No way. I keep the toe pointy and sharp for shaving inside my nostrils and ear canals . It also helps to keep your concentration up when shaving, one of the reasons that it is my most favoured, not necessarily my best shaver.nice work on the smiling edge there! i really hope you muted the pointy tip & heel! ....
hahahah man thats carzy! what about the deeper hairs? you use scalpel? get a trimmer mate!U
No way. I keep the toe pointy and sharp for shaving inside my nostrils and ear canals . It also helps to keep your concentration up when shaving, one of the reasons that it is my most favoured, not necessarily my best shaver.
I don't really have a best shaving SR. They are all excellent shavers, each with their own personality, even members of matching sets. I like it that way.
I don't think that the steel in the W59 is any better or worse than most other GD models. It is better finished than most of their other models.
I am no great fan of Gold Dollar SR's. That would go to Colling, Revisor and Aust SR's (but I haven't tried all). Gold Dollar are however, together with some of the Taiwanese Titan SR's, very good value for money. They have their needed place in the world of traditional straight razor shaving.
I do "invest" as you call it. I have paid from $10 to about $250 for my limited stable of new traditional straight razors..... , Someone like you who is completely addicted to the subject? Invest!
well if you wanna trade one of your branded SR on my GD drop me a note, really glad you found the one! (but i still - suspect it have better steel than my GD66)I do "invest" as you call it. I have paid from $10 to about $250 for my limited stable of new traditional straight razors.
What I learnt a long time ago was that price and country of origin can have little bearing on quality of product. This has also held true of SR's.
My current most favoured SR cost about $20 new and my best looking new SR was about $250. My best shaving SR was about $40.
I am now saving and waiting for the Gillette self-honing SR. It shouldn't be too far away from being marketed. All that Gillette need to do now is work out a way to build in planned obsolescence. They need to speak with @Tony Miller about his newspaper strops.
I have a couple razors with straight spines and smily edges, and one that I can think of with a curved spine but an almost straight edge. I prefer a slight smile, myself, but your razor, you can do what you want.First of all it seems to be a razor (or let's be precise here: an imatation of a razor) that is not meant to have a smile on the edge, because you can see that the spine is straight! I guess you maybe could keep the smile... (I do not know what problems this will create during honing a smiling edge with a straight spine...) I explained in the video that I prefer to take it off because I prefer to hone it as a straight
yeah i'm talking aboit it (and showing it in the video).,,, at some point it started to go there .. while observing the bevel on one side (in some angle) .. thats where i decided to go with the bevel i had at that point and be happy with it, bcs it's almost impossible to get a perfect bevel with such bad grinding and so many other issues, i'm super happy with the result! just sad it's not a better steelI have a couple razors with straight spines and smily edges, and one that I can think of with a curved spine but an almost straight edge. I prefer a slight smile, myself, but your razor, you can do what you want.
It looks like to me you may have gone past straight into a frown, though.
View attachment 1438272
Did you know there are specialised razors for that? Takami Kamisori Japanese Style Aural Razor White I Steel blade [out of stock] - https://www.aframestokyo.com/takami-kamisori-japanese-style-aural-razor-white-i-steel-blade.htmlfor shaving inside my nostrils and ear canals
i'll get a 'real' smiling one for sure (wedge is on the list too )I have a couple razors with straight spines and smily edges, and one that I can think of with a curved spine but an almost straight edge. I prefer a slight smile, myself, but your razor, you can do what you want.
I am familiar with them, however, I would prefer a 3/16 half-hollow with folding scales. A length from toe to heel of about 15mm is plenty. I might have to have one custom made.Did you know there are specialised razors for that? Takami Kamisori Japanese Style Aural Razor White I Steel blade [out of stock] - https://www.aframestokyo.com/takami-kamisori-japanese-style-aural-razor-white-i-steel-blade.html
Yes, that's the way I did it. Doing it that way, rather than normal honing, does increase the bevel angle but keeps the spine wear down. The W59 comes with a bevel angle of about 15.5° so there is room to decrease the bevel angle by a degree or two.rbs,
how did you remove the smile? Hold it perpendicular to the stone and just start grinding until is was straight?
btw, you dont have issues honing such razors? (smile edge and straight spine) i would hope that a curved spine will help to avoid (as much possible) raising the razor spine while honing it...I have a couple razors with straight spines and smily edges, and one that I can think of with a curved spine but an almost straight edge. I prefer a slight smile, myself, but your razor, you can do what you want.
It looks like to me you may have gone past straight into a frown, though.
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Sorry but the geometry doesn't work like that. With a flat honing surface and a smiling edge on a straight razor you have to (ever so slightly) raise each end of the spine whether the spine of flat or curved.btw, you dont have issues honing such razors? (smile edge and straight spine) i would hope that a curved spine will help to avoid (as much possible) raising the razor spine while honing it...
No, I do a rolling x-stroke just like any smiling edge.btw, you dont have issues honing such razors? (smile edge and straight spine) i would hope that a curved spine will help to avoid (as much possible) raising the razor spine while honing it...
might be easier when the spine follow the line of the edgeNo, I do a rolling x-stroke just like any smiling edge.