It depends on who you get it from in the UK Invisible Edge I believe hones them up,, But yes a sealed factory Dovo is not what most of us consider "Shave Ready" even though that is the claim I can go into much more detail of why, and even into detail of why some people will luck out and find one that is shaving sharp, to confuse the situation even more There is a Dovo vid that shows the honing process that is pretty much the norm for most of the industry of production razors,,, watching it at 7:40 shows the honing of the blade.. Anyone that hones razors KNOWS that this system doesn't produce a Shave Ready edge... It also shows a different aspect of another Hair Test.. Enjoy
Thanks Glen, I was more concerned with the quality of the Dovo blades. There is one guy that hones on YouTube that states he has seen new blades that aren't straight, etc. Some other forum chatter has given me that same impression. I was curious if you personally have experienced similar observations? There is also a vendor- superior shave in Jacksonville FL that has very good prices and they hone prior to sending out, which might be a better option.
Honestly There are always exceptions to the rules BUT when somebody says they are sending me a NIB Dovo I smile because they are normally easy to hone and straight forward especially the upper end ones.. I have heard Jarrod can hone at TSS so the edge should be good to go from him so can Steve at Invisible Always take Youtube agenda with a grain of salt, look to see what their angle is and why they might be pushing an opinion
Don't do it, the early to mid 1900s razors from Little Valley all have crappy steel, and won't hold an edge worth a damn. Tell me where they are, and I will see they are disposed of.
i probably got off topic with this thread, because I really was asking about "favorites". However, this has been really interesting. With everything that's been said, if someone was looking for a razor with good balance, easy to hone, keen edge, nice scales, and economical (low price) would it be New or vintage?
Vintage. Genco would be my recommendation. I've gotten four different ones for less than $20 each. Later ones were made by Case, and they have that awesome NY steel.
I have two Dovo razors I purchased new from The Superior Shave. Both were honed by the merchant and came with excellent edges. I find the razors very easy maintain.
I am going to be the contrarian and go with new. If you choose well you can find and excellent vintage razor cheap... but if you go new though a reputable merchant you will get razor ready to shave and easy to maintain but pay more. If there are any issues you can return. Also keep your eye on the BST and if you see something from one your fellow Den members you can be confident on what your are getting. In fairness I think Adam is allot better with hands than I .
I tend toward Vintage, obviously I am a professional Restorist so I have a true love of the old ones but you have to invest either time or money getting them to a perfect condition... NOS vintage can outweigh the price easily on New But to be honest the quality new production stuff is rather nice also DOVO TI Revsor Wacker Aust all awesome not very economical but nice Customs are customs and can be almost built to suit but economical ??? not so much whole lot of opinion there huh
I know nothing! I have been looking at straights, now that I've got a weeks experience under my belt New razors are really expensive yet there are a few people selling fully restored (like new) vintage razors. I've just seen a stunning NOS straight for £100. It seems really cheap compared to the new ones of a similar standard.
Someone asked General George S Patton if those were Pearl Handled Pistols. Patton: "They're Ivory. Only a pump from a cheap New Orleans whore house would carry a pearl handle pistol". I always remembered that quote and thought it funny. But, on razors, it sure looks good.
Thanks to Keithmax & DaltonGang: The Dovo Bismarck has moved to the top of my list Superior Shave has excellent pricing I think the 6/8 blade makes up for some of the girly looking gold
The blade is 6/8 vs a 5/8 and the Bismarck has the shoulder cut out, which also looses the upper and lower jimps. The blade is .75 mm thicker, and weighs 55g vs 46, and abot $20 more. I think at $136 for a new, razor that gets honed before leaving the shop is an excellent value (imho)
