Oh, one more question. I did some more reading on the Gold Dollar thread, and noticed that the thread is closed and nobody can add a post to it. It didn't look to me like the discussion had got particularly heated or offensive, but maybe my standards are not as high or something. I have been told I argue like a pit bull LOL! I just figured the Gold Dollar experts would be watching that thread and they might have the answers to questions about them. I gather from another post in this thread that all Gold Dollar posts have been moved to that thread, so is posting about them discouraged? The thing is, I know nothing about them and I am curious.

I found another site for a company called Revisor. Are their razors any good? They sure have a big variety! I think the most intimidating thing about them is the idea of trying to pick something out from all those choices! And what about Hart? They are made in the U.S. and that to me is a small plus. I see Dovo is made in Germany but I do have a healthy respect for German craftsmanship.

I was in a knife shop this morning and happened to mention that I was thinking about straight razor shaving, and the guy tried to sell me first one of the Pakistan razors you guys warned me about, but for $39.95, and when I didn't bite, presented me a Dovo which I proceeded to do the HHT test on. Didn't pass. Nothing. Tried to shave arm hair. The guys goes, "Be careful with that!" but it barely cut any hairs, mostly just pulled a couple out I think. Definitely not sharp. My pocketknife is waaaaaay sharper than that. He didn't have any strops in his shop so I figure he was talking out his behind about how much he knew about straight razors. I asked him about Gold Dollar razors and he actually had a bunch of them, all in individual crushed blue cardboard boxes, for $19.95 each. I looked at one and you could maybe use it to butter toast with or something. I told him I could get one on ebay for 99 cents and he got all huffy and said that he had individually inspected each one for quality. I asked him why he didn't sharpen a few so new guys could just buy one and start right out shaving, and the conversation sort of went downhill from there. I don't think I am on his Christmas card list haha. Thanks to you guys and other resources I have found in the last few days, I didn't waste a bunch of money on a bunch of disappointing crap.