i dont see much talk about dovo and other higher end razors
- Thread starter wolfsvein
- Start date
So true! Then again, most old razors will take an edge and shave.
As with all great shavers, it all about the edge not the razors brand.
TBO a high end Production razor is only high end because of the scales and gold washing. Some of them are Damascus steel, but for that price you might as well get a custom.
IMO high end straight=custom straight
IMO high end straight=custom straight
Pretty much this. You won't find many if any BAD vintage razors. They actually were used, so if someone was making trash, they didn't survive. All the "Bad" razors are new ones from manufacturers that survive on eBay sales to people who just wanna have a straight, the same way crappy pocket knife makers survived on Infomercial sales to people who just wanna have a knife. Now a few guys have gotten vintages that had the steel destroyed (lost temper I believe is the term) by bad restore jobs, but I've fortunately avoided that in the hundreds/thousands of eBay razors I've had, so it's pretty rare unless you go out looking for them (rainbow oil-slick look to the steel is the usual indicator). And there are a few fake vintages out there that I've heard of, but again, pretty rare... unless you count the 1000 year old chinese/american civil war razors that spammed eBay up a few years ago.
Generally if you can hone them and it's not damaged beyond repair, almost every vintage is a good razor. Of course preference matters. I know guys who swear nothing shaves like a kamisori (half concave japanese razor). I never much cared for the way wedges shave, so my wedge honing is lacking, hence my kami honing is lacking, hence I haven't ever gotten a really good edge on my Kami... though I swear some day I'll take the time to get it right... just not now. For me personally, few things beat a nice 5/8-6/8" quart-half hollow shoulderless grind with good old german steel, like my Puma. Does that mean everyone's gonna love half hollows or Puma's or that they're better than say an extra hollow Geo Wost? No, it's just what I like.
I agree with a lot of what is said here. I have had a couple run ins with the honing police over there. LOL. I learned more here than there though. As far as Dovos go, they are a good razor but so are many others. I own 37 and all but 2 (I have a modern TI) are vintage. Mostly sheffields and solingens and a few genco,jr torrey and Dixie.
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I think everyone had at least ONE Dovo in their rotation at one time 
I have noticed that many members here prefer razors that sell cheap on ebay, especially gold dollars. However I don't know what your definition of "high end" razors are - I have 8/8, 9/8, and 10/8 George Brittains, Marshes & Shepherds, George Savages - some I've sold for $900+. In my definition, old, rare, notable straights are "high end," not any mass-produced Dovo, TI, etc.
I think everyone had at least ONE Dovo in their rotation at one time
Dovo was my first razor, still have and use it -
Be interested in hearing why Dovo and TI are making straights if it is unprofitable. TI has had a succession of pricey limited editions and sells some fairly ornate blades. Dovo has refreshed their line and has been turning out some nice mammoth ivory in recent years. All this at a loss? Can someone explain this?
I don't think they would be making a loss at all. If anything I would expect it to be a healthy profit margin.
I'll take a shot. Sometimes companies will launch a "hero" brand, or a loss leader: items they won't necessarily make a profit on, but whose inclusion in their line adds lustre to the brand as a whole. With that comes indirect profits. I have no idea whether that drives TI or Dovo in making straights, but if it did, it wouldn't suggest that the razors would be ugly stepsisters to the nail clippers, kitchen knives or scissors. Quite the contrary, I'd guess. Think of all those jealous steak knives.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
My first straight was a Dovo "Best" and it sucked. I have shaved with a Dovo Bismarck and a Prima Klang, and both were great. Not all Dovos should be considered "high end", except for their price, because some of them are basically garbage. YMMV because some "Best" owners are happy with their razors. I think maybe they had periods of really bad QC and periods of more acceptable QC, not sure. But their better razors are IMHO pretty good.
This forum is not sales driven. So there is more balanced, mainstream razor discussion. You see posts about $1000 razors, and about $3.50 razors, and everything in between, on this board. My favorite razors are mostly Chinese Gold Dollar #66 razors that I have modified slightly. I was banned from another forum that IS sales driven, for suggesting that a GD was a great razor. The indisputable fact is that a properly tuned GD66 will shave the britches off a Dovo Best. Since most of us members, and AFAIK all the mods and admin are NOT selling new Dovo's or TI's for a living, we tend to talk about all sorts of razors, and we are able to discuss them rationally and frankly without fear of angering the shave gods. We do have vendors and hobbyists here who sell a few restorations or custom razors, but members can also sell their $30 vintage blades when they need to thin out their collections. It is a very open and accepting forum, here. You can stand up and discuss most anything, any brand, any model, any product, any tool or method. And others can agree, or disagree, and maybe we all learn something.
"That Other" forum has its place. I will leave it at that. This forum is where I go for free, open, and sometimes balanced, sometimes biased, usually stimulating and informative, discussion. Plus the cool razor pics.
This forum is not sales driven. So there is more balanced, mainstream razor discussion. You see posts about $1000 razors, and about $3.50 razors, and everything in between, on this board. My favorite razors are mostly Chinese Gold Dollar #66 razors that I have modified slightly. I was banned from another forum that IS sales driven, for suggesting that a GD was a great razor. The indisputable fact is that a properly tuned GD66 will shave the britches off a Dovo Best. Since most of us members, and AFAIK all the mods and admin are NOT selling new Dovo's or TI's for a living, we tend to talk about all sorts of razors, and we are able to discuss them rationally and frankly without fear of angering the shave gods. We do have vendors and hobbyists here who sell a few restorations or custom razors, but members can also sell their $30 vintage blades when they need to thin out their collections. It is a very open and accepting forum, here. You can stand up and discuss most anything, any brand, any model, any product, any tool or method. And others can agree, or disagree, and maybe we all learn something.
"That Other" forum has its place. I will leave it at that. This forum is where I go for free, open, and sometimes balanced, sometimes biased, usually stimulating and informative, discussion. Plus the cool razor pics.
I think everyone had at least ONE Dovo in their rotation at one time
nope, not yet. I'll just have to continue to suffer with my W&B, CVHs, Parker, Eva, Filarmonica, Keen, Genco, and GD.... maybe one day I'll step up to a Dovo.
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banned trying to organize a group buy for some MdC while one thread over same 'moderator' was bragging to people about the quality of his restores and honing services he was selling.
Quite a bit of information provided already.
As we seem to be unable to avoid getting into the behavior of other forums, if that continues, we'll have to consider this thread a lost cause and hope the OP has his answer before we close it.
As we seem to be unable to avoid getting into the behavior of other forums, if that continues, we'll have to consider this thread a lost cause and hope the OP has his answer before we close it.
The best razor in the world, whatever that is, will not shave well unless it is honed to its full potential.
A cheap GD razor will shave as well as any razor in the world if properly honed.
The most exquisite collection I have seen is Isaac's, he has some FANTASTIC blades.
OP, we can discuss any razor you like, what did you have in mind?
A cheap GD razor will shave as well as any razor in the world if properly honed.
The most exquisite collection I have seen is Isaac's, he has some FANTASTIC blades.
OP, we can discuss any razor you like, what did you have in mind?
- Thread starter
- #39
I was wondering about the cheaper razor. I have a Ralf aust what's your opinions of that razor, and what would be a good new razor to put in to my rotation?
If the razor says "Solingen" or "Sheffield" on it it will likely be able to be honed to shave ready. Even the cheapest razors can hold as good an edge as any. With expensive razors, you're usually only buying the rarity or uniqueness of the blade.
