INFO! The 2023 Gold Dollar Mod Competition

[Saxonbowman]

May 1 marks the official start of the 2022 Gold Dollar mod competition. For many years we have showcased the efforts of our razor builders to transform an inexpensive Gold Dollar straight razor into stunning objects of beauty. You have until July 1 to create your master work. The only criteria are that you must start with a new Gold Dollar carbon-steel straight razor and that the finished razor must be shave ready. Take a look at some of the past efforts if you would like some inspiration.

We have run this competition for many years. Last year we had a good turn out. So I'm hopeful that we'll see some stunning razors this July. If you would like to enter the competition, really more of an exhibition, please let us know here. Throughout the two months please update us on your progress. If you want to keep your final design a surprise that's fine but please put up some teasers to keep us guessing. In the meantime if you have questions, please ask.

On July 1 we'll open a formal competition thread. We all love to see what you create!

 

[rbscebu]

I'm in. I just returned home from overseas and hopefully my GD 66 is sitting in my PO box. I will be checking tomorrow when I next go into town.

I'm thinking of re-scaling mine in some exotic timber, giving it a good pointy and sharp Spanish point, modifying the stabiliser area, polishing the blade and possibly thinning the spine.

Once the "competition" is over, this modified GD will probably be PIFed to a worth member.

 

[Derwent]

Got a brand new GD66 fresh in packet from Aliexpress all ready and waiting to go!
Need to finalise the design in my head, but I've got a good idea what I'm doing...

 

[mycarver]

It’ll be fun to watch.

 

[David]

Mike thanks for heading this up again. Really appreciate your efforts and time.

 

[rbscebu]

This morning I received one of the much converted and extremely rare Gold Dollar 66 straight razors. Eat your heart out!

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Now I must first work out how I can make such a perfect SR even more so. This SR has passed Gold Dollar's ever so stringent and envied quality control. The blade's edge is almost shave ready. If first heated in boiling water, the edge will cut through soft butter (with a sawing motion).

First job will be to remove the scales. I hope to be able to reuse these scales as replacements for when I buy my first new custom Koraat SR .

 

[rbscebu]

Scales Removal

The pivot pin on the reverse side looks like this:

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I ground the integral pin collar off with a small diamond coated ball bit in a Dremel press:

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The pivot pin was then ready to be tapped out:

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Using an old 1.6mm drill bit and jeweler's hammer, I gently tapped the pivot pin out while the SR was supported on a 50mm bench vice.

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All came apart reasonably easily. The pivot pin hole is almost circular with a diameter of about 2mm. I was able to save these quality scales for replacing the scales on my yet to be purchased new custom Koraat SR.

Now to plan ahead.

 

[LooneyToons816]

Are gold dollar SR actually worth buying? And of course using? I been seeing alot of posts mentioning them, id like to buy one but which do i get and where!!??

 

[rbscebu]

Are gold dollar SR actually worth buying? And of course using? I been seeing alot of posts mentioning them, id like to buy one but which do i get and where!!??

They are worth buying. Some are better than others. The GD66 is generally their cheapest. Many of their models are available on AliExpress. Some are not readily available online but can usually be purchased directly from the manufacturer on Alibaba. Shipping on Alibaba can be a killer.

The ones that I have bought and shaved with are their 66, 208 and W59. All GD SRs require some work to be made reasonable, some more than others.

For reviews of various GD SRs see the reviews forum on B&B. Just do a search in the SR section of that forum for gold dollar.

 

[mycarver]

No. They are not worth buying unless you know something about how to check bevel angles, spine straightness , warp, twists in a blade.

Some who think they know just say “I’ll thin out the spine “. Why? Does it need it?

If you actually know what you’re doing you can treat a GD as if it’s raw stock and you can actually create a great shaving razor. It’s not just grind a little here and a bit more there and wow it looks cool.

Do that and it’s a loss.

I actually put a set of GD scales on a TI and sent it back to a guy who was really a PITA. Kept telling me he wanted scales ( the razor had none) and he couldn’t pay but sent me his razor anyway.I need scales on my razor!!! Wanted my custom horn

What’s a guy to do?

He stopped bugging me.

 

[Legion]

Are gold dollar SR actually worth buying? And of course using? I been seeing alot of posts mentioning them, id like to buy one but which do i get and where!!??

As @mycarver said, they are worth it if you have the skills (or inclination) to fix them up and put them right. I wouldn't suggest them as a first razor for a newbie, hoping to sort it out yourself on the cheap.

They are a good "blank canvas" to mess around with for little expense, which was what I had in mind when I kicked off the first round of the challenge , back when dinosaurs roamed the land.

 

[mycarver]

They are worth buying. Some are better than others. The GD66 is generally their cheapest. Many of their models are available on AliExpress. Some are not readily available online but can usually be purchased directly from the manufacturer on Alibaba. Shipping on Alibaba can be a killer.

The ones that I have bought and shaved with are their 66, 208 and W59. All GD SRs require some work to be made reasonable, some more than others.

For reviews of various GD SRs see the reviews forum on B&B. Just do a search in the SR section of that forum for gold dollar.

What makes one better than another. Qualify that for newbies.
What makes one razor better to work on and what do you find that says this razor is not worth it?
Which , after you fix the flaws ( and how did you find and fix them?) will become a great razor?
That’s what a newbie needs to know.
They are definitely NOT worth buying unless you can give a valid reason why and what needs to be done.
It would be like me asking, “ what car would be good for my daughter to start driving “
And the answer is. Some are good others are better.
Ahhh!

 

[rbscebu]

@mycarver, @LooneyToons816 didn't say that he was new to SRs. He just asked about buying them. You are quite correct that they are not something that a beginner should buy expecting to be able to just shave with it as received or by just giving it a stropping.

Some Gold Dollars can take a lot of skilled work to get them into a reasonable shaving condition. Others less so but you still need to know what you are doing and what to expect.

 

[mycarver]

@mycarver, @LooneyToons816 didn't say that he was new to SRs. He just asked about buying them. You are quite correct that they are not something that a beginner should buy expecting to be able to just shave with it as received or by just giving it a stropping.

Some Gold Dollars can take a lot of skilled work to get them into a reasonable shaving condition. Others less so but you still need to know what you are doing and what to expect.

Oh, you’re right. He didn’t say he’s new to SR’s but he’s just finished his first build and has been a member for a year.
What is the work needed and how to know that?
This is what newbies need to know. It’s what I want to know.
I bought 20. I was able to use 12.
What if he, or you, bought one of the 8 I literally trashed?
How do you know? Explain this for newbies.
I may be anal but I think it’s more than knock off the scales, grind a little here polish a bit there thin the spine (why?) and I have a great cheap razor.
Otherwise you, and others put a lot of time into making a pretty razor shaped object.
Then too maybe I take these too seriously. Sorry.

 

[rbscebu]

....
I actually put a set of GD scales on a TI and sent it back to a guy who was really a PITA. Kept telling me he wanted scales ( the razor had none) and he couldn’t pay but sent me his razor anyway.I need scales on my razor!!! Wanted my custom horn

What’s a guy to do?

He stopped bugging me.

Now you are only encouraging me to fit the GD 66 plastic scales to a Koraat .

 

[luvmysuper]

Let's not turn the Gold Dollar Mod thread into a debate on whether or not one should buy a Gold Dollar.
Kind of hard to mod a GD if you don't buy one.
Kind of hard to practice work on a razor if you only buy top of the line already perfect razors.

Back and forths here on expressing that noobs don't know could have been exerted in actually passing some knowledge on instead of just saying they don't know.

 

[Legion]

Yes. Should you buy one? Hey, that's the price of admission. Will it be super easy if you have never done one before? Maybe not, but as long as you have all the PPE in place, what's the worst that can happen? At the very least you will learn a few things for next time. Give it a shot.

 

[Kaldane]

Ah, go on, then. Count me in for another go.

 

[Derwent]

Tossing up between Spanish point or American point with barber's notch...might not know which one I'm going with until the moment I pick up the Dremel...

 

[LooneyToons816]

@mycarver, @LooneyToons816 didn't say that he was new to SRs. He just asked about buying them. You are quite correct that they are not something that a beginner should buy expecting to be able to just shave with it as received or by just giving it a stropping.

Some Gold Dollars can take a lot of skilled work to get them into a reasonable shaving condition. Others less so but you still need to know what you are doing and what to expect.

Thank you for the clarification! I think ill hold off on purchasing one then!

-looney