Opinion on Dovo "Shavette" Stainless Steel

[Marco]

Dear Sirs,

I'd like to ask a few questions regarding the Dovo "Shavette" Stainless Steel razor.
Can I have your opinion about it?
How to compared this razor to DE razors and to real Staights?
Is it easy to handle and shave with for someone who has never used a Straight and has always used a Double Edge?
Is a teacher necessary, or do you follow the same basic principles you follow when shaving with a DE?

Thank you!

 

[johnnytruant]

I have a Dovo Shavette. I found it no harder to handle than a DE, although different in some aspects. "No pressure" and "light touch" carry over from DE shaving though.

The shavette is very light in weight and gives what seems to me to be quite a lot of feedback, but bear in mind I don't have much to compare it to. I followed "how to use a straight" instructions with great success. I can shave closer with my shavette than I can with my DE, but there's not much in it.

I can't compare it to a real straight, as I don't have one (yet!). The Dovo is as good as my Feather Artist Club, but less pleasing to use 'cos it's lighter and less solid than the AC.

I say get one and have a go - it's not like they're very expensive, especially compared with a real straight and strop and honing costs and so on.

hope this helps.

 

[closer]

The good thing about a shavette is, you don't have to worry if its sharp - just load a new blade. It gives you a tool to practice your technique, angles, maybe even learn to use your non-dominant hand. And, given that it is sharp, it really reinforces the "no pressure" mantra. And, if you've got DE blades lying around, its convenient.

The cons of using a shavette are that it is very light, and does not really have the feel of a real straight, so you have to adjust your technique a bit when you start using a real straight. And, it is easy to nick yourself, because with a half DE blade, there is a sharp angle at the end, and with the very light shavette, can move it unintentionally in an unwanted direction. But, I still think its a good learning tool, as a stepping stone to straights, at least in the beginning.

Its definitely not a real straight though - the comfort and feel from a real straight is something else. But then, you have to worry about keeping it shave-ready..

 

[PlasticCity]

Hi, I have the Stainless Shavette, and a Dovo straight, and have used a DE. It is a great tool to have, to use on shaping a beard, or moustache, etc. It needs a light touch, and there are different color blade holders for it, and each is for a specific task, one is for face for instance, while another is intended for just touchups. I'm happy with mine, it is good to have to clean up sideburns and such, without using my Straight, and having to strop/clean it later.

 

[Chimensch]

If you want to try a straight razor ... try a straight razor. If you want a razor with a sharp edge that you don't have to hone or strop ... use a DE. The shavette is the bastard child of a straight and a DE that was invented to give barbers something to shave with when they could no longer use straights for health reasons and without having to relearn their technique. And the result? Barbers now rarely give shaves anymore and they are no longer capable of giving shaves with a straight because they have lost that technique also.

A straight razor edge is easy to maintain with a barbers hone ($40-$60) or a coticule (6" x 2" coticule, $60 from the Perfect Edge). Get an inexpensive shave ready razor from the BST and a strop and go for it. The shavette is a dead end.

 

[StillShaving]

If you want to try a straight razor ... try a straight razor. If you want a razor with a sharp edge that you don't have to hone or strop ... use a DE. The shavette is the bastard child of a straight and a DE that was invented to give barbers something to shave with when they could no longer use straights for health reasons and without having to relearn their technique. And the result? Barbers now rarely give shaves anymore and they are no longer capable of giving shaves with a straight because they have lost that technique also. <deleted>

You might be right, but I have been thinking about this and wondering if the shavette, feather AC, and similar razors have a advantage when doing third party shaving. What I am trying to get at is when shaving with a DE, each DE has a slightly different angle with which to hold relative to the handle and face, which may make it harder for one person to shave another, since it will be hard for the shaver to get necessary feedback. Where in comparison, if using a real straight or its cousin the shavette it is more about angle and pressure, where the angle and pressure are both more easily observed when compared to a DE. Meaning it would be easier for person A to shave person B with some sort of straight rather than a DE. I have never shave someone else, so these comments are highly suspect.

 

[Portra160]

I have the Feater AC, Dovo Shavette Stainless and some regular straights.
For me I have to use different techniques with these.
Regular straights is for me easiest to use and I guess the best way for a beginner to start with.
The Dovo Shavette is more close to a regular straight than the Feather AC.
The Feather AC is very hard to get used to beacuse you can use almost no pressure at all compared to the most knives. But if you get used to it it might be one of your best shavers if not the best.
PS It´s very difficult to change between the Feather AC and a regular straight from one day to another, be careful.