Thread: Do you get what you pay for?

Originally Posted by crouton976

Glen, if nothing else, you're certainly thorough...

I try, but then again that is honestly what SRP is really all about,

Helping people get started in the sport we love

Compiling the most accurate info possible on a hobby that has much personal opinion

Glen

Nice list of what is produced where by Buck. I hope you did not think I implied that all Buck knives are made off shore. A quick check of their site will show a person which ones are made in USA or imported. Either way they carry the same warranty as far as I can see.

It surprised me greatly when I bought mine that it was made in China. Since it carried the same warranty I assumed, I know what they say about assuming, that Buck has strict quality control in place at home and off shore. I think the point is that some goods, no matter where produced, that are extremely cheap in comparison to the average cost from other producers is a clear flag to be wary of the quality level.

Bob

Nope not at all Bob, the post was not directed at you in the least..

I posted it only for accuracy, plus living in Idaho, we are actually a bit proud that Buck is located here

Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

Okay, thanks, Bob. So basically, if the steel is not just absolute crap, and if you like the way it looks and feels, it's a good razor, and no brand has a particular monopoly on quality? That actually makes sense to me.

When you're buying a razor you are not buying a steel, you are buying a finished product. The only way to distinguish one razor from another before shaving with it is the brand name.
Some brands are know to have produced nothing but top quality razors, some are varying, some are mediocre, and some are just plain junk, with the occasional claim to the contrary from new people with no experience, or for sellers who make a ton of money off those.

It's up to the buyer to decide how to spend their money - the advice on this site is free. If somebody is 'adventurous' enough to buy a zee-pk type of razor shaped object regardless of what the brand name of that razor is, instead of say Dovo or Boker, then they really deserve what they got.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Nope not at all Bob, the post was not directed at you in the least..

I posted it only for accuracy, plus living in Idaho, we are actually a bit proud that Buck is located here

Don't blame you a bit for being proud of locally produced product. especially one with a good reputation like Buck has.

Bob

Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

Okay, thanks, Bob. So basically, if the steel is not just absolute crap, and if you like the way it looks and feels, it's a good razor, and no brand has a particular monopoly on quality? That actually makes sense to me.

Not exactly, The steel has to be a certain quality but so do the dimensions of the blade to allow a proper bevel angle and so on. The razor has to meet certain standards in a number of areas to be a quality razor.

You will have more luck buying an entry level razor from any of a number of makers who are recognized as producing quality razors. Even the best of them can make a poor razor on occasion too. The makers Dovo and Boker are only two of many brands available that make quality razors.

Anyway there are no easy answers such as buy brand XYZ and you will not have any problems.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Anyway there are no easy answers such as buy brand XYZ and you will not have any problems.

I've got to disagree with this

Buy new Dovo or Boker and there is at least 99% chance that you'll get a good razor
Buy new Giesen-Forsthoff and there is at least 99% chance you'll get a mediocre razor.
Buy any of the razors on the 'to avoid list' and there is at least 99.9% chance that you'll get pure junk.
Buy new custom razor from say Charlie Lewis, Max Sprecher, Robert Williams, Tim Zowada, etc, and there is at least 99.9% chance that you'll get an excellent razor.
Buy a vintage Boker, Fritz Bracht Dovo, Case, C-Mon, Dubl Duck, etc. and there is 99% chance you'll get an excellent razor (as long as the razor is not abused)

The thing is that even if there are no absolutes, there is no need to fall for the false equivalency some are trying to imply between vastly different brands.
Not 100% guarantee is true for Boker as well as for Kriegar but in the first case the chances of a dud are negligible, while in the second what's negligible are the chances of a decent razor.

Originally Posted by gugi

I've got to disagree with this

Buy new Dovo or Boker and there is at least 99% chance that you'll get a good razor
Buy new Giesen-Forsthoff and there is at least 99% chance you'll get a mediocre razor.
Buy any of the razors on the 'to avoid list' and there is at least 99.9% chance that you'll get pure junk.
Buy new custom razor from say Charlie Lewis, Max Sprecher, Robert Williams, Tim Zowada, etc, and there is at least 99.9% chance that you'll get an excellent razor.
Buy a vintage Boker, Fritz Bracht Dovo, Case, C-Mon, Dubl Duck, etc. and there is 99% chance you'll get an excellent razor (as long as the razor is not abused)

The thing is that even if there are no absolutes, there is no need to fall for the false equivalency some are trying to imply between vastly different brands.
Not 100% guarantee is true for Boker as well as for Kriegar but in the first case the chances of a dud are negligible, while in the second what's negligible are the chances of a decent razor.

That is exactly what I have been trying to say, any of the currently produced razors from known name brands are your best bet. That does include Dovo and Boker but there are others to consider which are equally good. Point being, of those known name brands in current production, no one particular brand has a lock on quality. You always have the very slim chance that these makers have an off day too, nothing is 100% guaranteed.

The key words are known name brands as in the sites list of recommended razors and do not touch with a 10 foot pole ones.

Bob

First real straight shave today! WOW I am so pleased with myself! No cuts, thanks to my experience with the shavette I guess. I know you are supposed to take it slow at first, and just shave part of your face, or just shave one pass, but I did two WTG passes over my whole face and neck. The first one left me pretty smooth, the second one was definitely in Mach III territory. Tomorrow I will try my other straight! Or should I stick with just this one for a while? My uncle told me to only use one brand of blade with my DE and not switch around all the time, and that's what I did with the shavette, too. That way I wouldn't be always off balance and trying to adjust to a different blade while learning. So what is best... sticking with this razor for a couple of weeks, or should I try my other one tomorrow? I really think I kinda got the basics nailed. I mean, no cuts, good shave, not much irritation. Way less than from the shavette or the Gillette. The aftershave had a little burn but not much. I am really feeling pretty good about this.

One funny thing... when I was doing the second pass, it felt like the razor wasn't doing anything. I thought I had somehow got it dull during the second pass shave. I actually stopped and tried to strop it back sharp, but still felt the same, like it was just a dull piece of smooth steel sliding on my face. The first pass, it was definitely shaving. I could feel it and hear it. I had a slight tugging feeling, sort of like with any other shaving method, but a tiny bit more. There was some resistance. On the second pass, just glide glide glide. I figured I was just wasting my time when I was nearly finished with one side of my face, but when I felt my face, YOWZA! So smooth I had to laugh! Definite difference from the other side, so I finished the second pass on the rest of my face. Any other newbies out there, if you feel like your second pass isn't doing much good, keep going! That just means you mowed all the hair down pretty good on the first pass and there isn't all that much for the blade to catch up on. One reason I suspected my razor was getting dull is I half expected that, because it was my el cheapo one, but I guess it did okay. After I finished shaving and restropping, I could pass it over my forearm without touching the skin and the ends of the hairs still toppled over like a lawnmower at work, with just a barely hearable pink-pink-tink-tink kinda sound. I was told that this was a pretty good test if there is any confusion, and that the so called HHT test was really hit or miss. I guess the real test is when I shave with that razor again.

My Dad's buddy showed me how to make what he called a hobo strop out of newspaper. I now have a total of 4 leather strops, but he said I should strop on the hobo strop for a few days before risking it with a leather one. Is this good advice? I got my Great Grandpa's strop, which I am softening with saddle soap and Red Wing boot oil and it seems to be coming along... it is getting softer. There are some cracks down next to the handle but not in the middle area. I have the Poor Man Strop Kit from Whipped Dog which seems a little on the basic side, and the Big Daddy strop from Star Shaving Company, and one my Dad got from somebody. It is an Illinois model 827. I also have the balsa wood with the red and green stuff from Whipped Dog that came with the Poor Man Strop. I am reading two different ways of using that. One is to not mess with it until the razor is getting dull. The other is use it after every shave and the razor will never get dull in the first place. I am kinda leaning to prevention rather than cure, but I don't want to mess up my razor this early in the game so I am thinking I should wait a few shaves before trying it. What does everybody think?

So my questions are

1. Should I hold off on the balsa wood strop for a while?
2. Should I only use it when the razor gets dull, or use it as regular maintainance?
3. Should I keep shaving with El Cheapo until I have shaved a few time with it or it gets dull, or break out the Dovo Best Quality tomorrow?
4. Is stropping on the newspaper hobo strop okay for now?
5. How am I doing so far?

Personally I would use just the one razor for a while, and it sounds like you are doing ok.