Section 5 - 6, Razor Brands The New, the Vintage and the bad!

There are 2 (non-custom) primary brands of straight razors currently being manufactured, Dovo, a German company and Thiers Issard, a French company. A few years ago, I wouldn’t even recommend Thiers Issard razors, as the quality and fit/finish was so spotty (and in some cases god awful) I’d tell guys to stay as far away as possible, however the tables have turned and TI’s quality control has gone up, and Dovo’s down, so fit and finish, and quality wise both manufacturers are on equal footing. No one brand is in all cases “better” than the other – I own and enjoy both, however there are diehard TI fans, and diehard Dovo fans.



Most straight razor users however will agree upon the following rules of thumb for NEW TI's and Dovo's...

1.) A Thiers Issard will often be much more difficult to hone than a Dovo.
2.) A Thiers Issard will typically shave better than a Dovo.
3.) A Thiers Issard will hold an edge longer than a Dovo.
4.) A low end Dovo will typically shave as good as a high end Dovo, where as this is not the case with TI's.
5.) A Dovo will offer the best value, in terms of what you get for the $.
6.) Dovo's have better gold wash, gold plating, and pinning jobs.

Quality Vintage Razors to look out for...
This list isn’t all encompassing, and is in no particular order, however if listed below, and in condition – it should be a superlative shaver. Again, this isn’t comprehensive, but it rather a grouping of some of the more common, high quality razors available at flea markets, on ebay and from fellow forum members to look out for.

From the USA
1.) Waterville
2.) Genco
3.) Geneva
4.) Case (W.R. Case & Sons)
5.) Winchester
6.) Sta-Sharp
7.) Craftsman (There is also a German version that is superlative)

From Germany
1.) Dorko
2.) Dubl Duck
3.) Dovo
4.) Bismarck
5.) Puma
6.) Boker
7.) Henckels
8.) Imperial

From France/England
1.) Wade & Butcher
2.) Thiers Issard
3.) Wostenholn
4.) Lecoultre


Razors to STAY AWAY from…
By and large most very inexpensive razors, or (by and large) any razor made in Pakistan, India or China. Some brands to stay away from Zeepk, Double Arrow, etc.

PROCEED TO THE NEXT SECTION OF THE GUIDE - Section 6 - 1, How to lap/flatten your hone.

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Thanks for the lists, definately helps to know what brands to keep an eye out for.

Regarding the Double Arrow, I personally couldn't disagree more. Pretty much everything I have read says it's a great razor for the price and a very good starter. I have nothing to compare it with as this is the only razor I have, but it has shaved great for me, taken an edge fairly easily and held it well. For the price I can't imagine a better deal IMHO.

DBLE ARROW BLADE said:

Thanks for the lists, definately helps to know what brands to keep an eye out for.

Regarding the Double Arrow, I personally couldn't disagree more. Pretty much everything I have read says it's a great razor for the price and a very good starter. I have nothing to compare it with as this is the only razor I have, but it has shaved great for me, taken an edge fairly easily and held it well. For the price I can't imagine a better deal IMHO.

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Their scales could be a LOT better. Blades are probably as good as a wapi.

joel said:

Quality Vintage Razors to look out for...
This list isn’t all encompassing, and is in no particular order, however if listed below, and in condition – it should be a superlative shaver. Again, this isn’t comprehensive, but it rather a grouping of some of the more common, high quality razors available at flea markets, on ebay and from fellow forum members to look out for.

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Hi,

The Filarmonicas should be in that list, IMHO. I've had several straight razors and find the "Fillies" to be my best shavers.

leighton said:

Their scales could be a LOT better. Blades are probably as good as a wapi.

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I'm gonna have to strongly disagree with that statement. I have been messing with a couple of DA's in the past couple of days.

The grinds are close, but not refined and are roughly finished all the way around. They have the absolutle worst set of scales I have ever seen on a razor... even worse than Zeepk scales. The hamburg grind is pronounced, but that's not too big of a deal. They hone up ok, but don't come close to the edge I get on my Wapi's. Wapi's are better balanced when they have a new set of scales and they have a much more refined finish on both the blade and the tang. I will say though, DA's are worth the $9.99 you can get them for.

I will dress one up and post the results on the appropriate thread later. In the meantime, I think Joel posted a lot of good choices. There is not a single razor there that should not be on that list. Off the top of my head, I would add...

• Clauss
• Elliot
• Ern
• Shapleigh
• Hibbard

I think just about the best shaver on the whole list, in general, is the Craftsman. I have never had one that didn't produce a perfect edge and give a dynamite shave.

Always thought something was off with the $10 price tag. Didn't want to rag on the DAs too much. My apologies to the Wapi's I may have insulted.

My wife bought me a nice straight razor, the brand is simply "Solingen". It says "Solingen" on the shank, and is engraved with "First Class/Original Solingen" on the blade. She bought it a a local cutlery shop, to replace the vintage Feinster Silberstahl she'd given me that had belonged to her uncle.

I did a search for Solingen, and the best I came up with was Merkur or Dovo. I don't know which it is, but it's a purty thang, and a swell shaver.

The Feinster is also a fine shaver, after I fine-tuned it a bit. It was terribly dull, and a strop job just didn't do it. My grandpa was a barber, and I inherited his strop and his hones. Most are probably 90 years old, and some are broken or sway backed from use. We bought a new strop and some paste for it to replace Grandpa's strop.

I use my straight razor as a "treat" shave, and have been slowly getting better at it. I still haven't mastered the use of my left hand with it (it makes me quite nervous to use my 'stupid' hand to shave with) and consequently have endured some positions that a Chinese acrobat would envy. I'm a long haul truck driver, so shaving in truck stop shower environs is not exactly what I want to do with my straights. Hopefully the trucking will be a thing of the past for me shortly. Then I can actually pursue things of more interest to me.

I don't get as involved with the persnickety details of shaving with my straights. I use good ol' Williams shaving soap. I like Old Spice and Bay Rum. My soap mug is a Burma-Shave mug. The strop is an Illinois Russian leather and canvas. Nothing fancy.
I detest multi-blade razors like the Mach3 or 4 or 12 or whatever they're coming up with next. To be honest, I hadn't thought about using a safety razor. I still have one. It's probably 35 or 40 years old, and still operates. I just might snag it out of the closet and start using it when I'm on the road. Geez, I think I still have an old Schick injectable razor handle somewhere as well.

Leon said:

Hi,

The Filarmonicas should be in that list, IMHO. I've had several straight razors and find the "Fillies" to be my best shavers.

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I agree with Leon. Filarmonica and Palmera should be on there. I guess you could say that about quite a few vintage brands but Filarmonica in particular in my opinion. Great List. Thanks Joel.

Another English razor to look out for is Joseph Rogers and Sons.

So far, anything I've had from either Sheffield or Solingen has been a good razor.

There are countless quality brands out there...

QUOTE=professorchaos;2234951]There are countless quality brands out there...[/QUOTE]

Very true. It really is impossible to put it into a list. The list would simply be too long.

johnmrson said:

Another English razor to look out for is Joseph Rogers and Sons.

So far, anything I've had from either Sheffield or Solingen has been a good razor.

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Interesting, I have a Joseph Allen and Sons from Sheffield. The blade has an etching that reads "Our Best Make." Kinda weird.

IMHO Joseph Rodgers should have been included on the list.