Opinions on the Dovo Bismarck 6/8"

[nick_s]

I'm looking for my first proper straight razor, and have looked at several razors (I have my eye on a hand made razor, but that's nearly £300, when I am proficient and funds allow....), the top of the list seems to be the Dovo Bismarck:

Does anyone have first hand experience of this razor, and would you say it's a good razor for the money (circa £110)?

 

[Steve56]

I have one. Two actually, one is badly warped. The straight one is a great razor, shaves as well as anything. I rescaled in in "French ivory" and it's a looker. It was the plain version called the Pallisander that TSS used to sell but I believe does no longer.

Warped Dovos are apparently not uncommon so buy from a trusted source with decent return/exchange policy.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Polarbeard]

For a first razor I would recommend a Ralf Aust. They are very good priced, of highest quality and comes shave ready. The Dovo razors comes "factory honed" meaning that they are not shave ready. So if you buy a Dovo you have to add the extra cost of having it honed. Even so the current Dovo razors are of good quality. I have six, all of them are top notch razors. I had to hone them all and one of them had a "bread knifed" factory egde, but that wasn't too much trouble to take care of.

All of Dovo's thumb notch razors (The Bismarck is a thumb notch razor a.k.a. shoulderless razor) have the same blade but different etching and scales. Three out of my six Dovo's are the thumb notch version. Having three of them can be seen as an indication on how much I like them. Even so I wouldn't recommend any thumb notch razor as a first razor. They are great razors but they take some time to get used to and they are really tricky to strop when you start with them. So my recommendation is that you start with an ordinary straight razor and save the Bismarck for next. They are great razors and Dovo is a quality manufacturer IMHO.

I hope that this was of some help.
Regards
Polarbeard

A picture of my "Bismarck". The version with these scales is no longer manufactured.

 

[alpster]

They are fine razors in every respect. You can't go wrong. I love mine. Hones and shaves like a dream....

 

[Doc226]

I like these a lot, but actually prefer the plain ones, the spine decorations sometimes leave a little streak on the strop

 

[sarimento1]

Dovo Bismarck is great razor, but I'd agree it's Straight 201 rather than Straight 101.
Overall, a bit heftier than a 5/8" Dovo.

 

[KW Driver]

I have a Pallisander as well and like the blade shape well enough. The blade is plane and unit he'd, which I prefer.

As stated, Raulf Aust has a good reputation, as does Revisor, for delivering good, well honed, inexpensive razors. I own neither, but haven't heard a bad thing about either brand. I have heard some QC issues exist with Dovo Bests (warped blades), if you were to look there as an alternative.

Good luck with the search.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I like these a lot, but actually prefer the plain ones, the spine decorations sometimes leave a little streak on the strop

+1. I don't care for the gold wash fluffery either, Doc. It's not jewelry, its a tool.

I don't see anything wrong at all with a Bismarck style razor as a first razor. It takes a bit to get used to, but it takes a bit to get used to ANY razor when you have never tried one before. I think a newbie can learn just as quickly, maybe more so, with this style. It is more ergonomic. It is also crazy easy to hone and strop, so there's that. The only issue I have is it is a bit pricey for a first razor. A new one depreciates madly as soon as you take it out of the package. A vintage blade doesn't depreciate at all unless you damage it. So if you don't know for sure that you will stick with it, it makes sense to buy something that you can resell without taking a beating. Other than that, if a newbie insists on a new razor, I feel this is a good one. Nothing wrong with Ralf Aust, either, or most of the Revisors, which are quite reasonably priced and come in a great many varieties.

My advice is to stay away from any new razors under $70, and stay away from Dovo Bests. The better Dovos are fine, but the Bests have given me nothing but trouble. It just seems that everything that could be wrong with a razor, is in a Best. Maybe its just me, but im 3 for 3 getting bad ones. Warped, stabilizer or shoulder issues, edge holding ability, poor centering, etc. I still have one, and I may give it "the treatment", with the next batch of Gold Dollar #66 I mod. It might make a good shoulderless.

 

[feltspanky]

I have one with faux pearl scales. I purchased it new and the blade is straight and true. It's a nice shaving razor.

 

[bluesman 7]

Shoulderless is a big plus for honing and stropping.

 

[Alejandro Salemandro]

I had one. It was a great razor. I don't think dovo is making the hollow ground razors anymore.

I would buy one again....and maybe not sell it this time

 

[Acmemfg]

I have a Dovo Palisander. Same blade minus all the fluff..
Nice razor but the Boker Elite which is the same shoulder less design is a much better razor (in my opinion)

 

[denvernoob]

My second razor was a Bismarck with Faux MOP scales (the less expensive of the two Bismarck options). It was a great razor to learn on and I also used it as one of my first razors I took to a hone myself. I had a bit of trouble with razor burn at first, but believe me when I tell you it was me and not the razor. These are well made, and honestly, it is as good a razor as any to start with. Additionally, while not cheap, it is a mid-priced razor with wonderful value and a long service life.

 

[McVeyMac]

A straight razor is designed so that the spine is worn down with each honing proportionately with the edge, hence maintaining appropriate edge geometry for the useful life of the blade. Gold wash on the spine and fancy spine work lead most people to applying tape on the spine to protect it while honing. This results in a bevel that will get increasingly obtuse with each honing as the blade width is reduced because of honing the edge without a proportional reduction of spine width. Practically speaking, this will not become a problem for a very long time, especially if you have multiple razors that you shave with, but it is a problem that somebody some day will have to rectify if the razor is going to remain servicable. It is for this reason that I avoid these types of razors, and I think it is also the basis for Slash's comment about a razor being a tool. A tool that is designed to cut is a better tool if it cuts well. It will only cut well over it's servicable life if edge geometry is maintained. Gold washed spines are pretty, but they go against what the tool is designed to do, cut as efficiently as possible. This is IMHO, as always.

 

[nick_s]

Some very helpful pointers here gents, as well as some fine looking razors Thank you. One small downside is the apparent supply issues of this razor

 

[ouch]

I love my Bismarck. It's well made, beautiful, shaves great, and a terrific bargain at the price.

 

[denvernoob]

Some very helpful pointers here gents, as well as some fine looking razors Thank you. One small downside is the apparent supply issues of this razor

They are around with various vendors. Not too hard to find but their supply definitely seems to be a bit constrained.

 

[alpster]

.... Gold wash on the spine and fancy spine work lead most people to applying tape on the spine to protect it while honing...... Gold washed spines are pretty, but they go against what the tool is designed to do, cut as efficiently as possible. This is IMHO, as always.

The design of my Bismark doesn't require tape to save the gold wash spine. The gold wash begins (and always will) at the spine side of the hone wear and doesn't spoil the looks at all. It's really not a problem with this particular razor.

 

[McVeyMac]

The design of my Bismark doesn't require tape to save the gold wash spine. The gold wash begins (and always will) at the spine side of the hone wear and doesn't spoil the looks at all. It's really not a problem with this particular razor.

That is good to know. Definitely changes my viewpoint of those pretty Bismark razors. I have the entry level Dovo, and suffice it to say that I am not overly impressed with the quality as others here and elsewhere have pointed out. But I got it to shave well after considerable work on the stones.

 

[alpster]

... I have the entry level Dovo, and suffice it to say that I am not overly impressed with the quality as others here and elsewhere have pointed out. But I got it to shave well after considerable work on the stones.

I have one too. If Dovo knew what the so called "Best Quality" blades are doing to their reputation, they would stop making them. I have 10 Dovos, 1 "Crap er I mean Best Quality" and 9 others that are all excellent razors. I rate their "Bismark" "La Forme" and "Bergischer Lowe" with my Filarmonicas and Dorkos. I am glad my first Dovo wasn't a "Best Quality". LOL