Thread: Why you shouldn't buy a Gold Dollar.....yet.

The point? Well, it is fun and super cheap working with a GD. I mean, it may be a waste of time, but honestly so is almost everything about wet shaving when you ask anyone outside the club. Having as many razors, brushes, soaps, strops, aftershaves, hones, and other shaving stuff is silly as well, but man you couldn't talk me out of it. (And there will be more!) So is it a waste? Yes. All of it is, but not to me, and that in my mind is what is important. I am not trying to say go one way or the other, but if you do; this is what I have learned.

The nice thing about GD is they are junk with no value. That is both the positive and negative thing about them. I can screw up 2 million of them trying to get a scalloped spine right, honing, changing point style...etc, but I won't feel bad about damaging a irreplaceable vintage blade. Also, please don't scallop any vintage blades. GDs are a blank canvas in a way for someone who doesn't want to start from scratch making a personal blade.


Edit: I see the confusion I think. You first shaver should have zero issues that you personally need to fix out of the box. That is the overall message and that a new GD is never gonna provide you that. It will provide an opportunity to screw up and not ruin anything important other than a 10 dollar bill. This is the take home. Sorry if I was not clear.

aa1192,,,,, after reading this last post, I'm more confused on your position.
I'll try to bring myself back to the Opening Post you made & move on to another thread.

Originally Posted by aa1192

The nice thing about GD is they are junk with no value. That is both the positive and negative thing about them. I can screw up 2 million of them trying to get a scalloped spine right, honing, changing point style...etc, but I won't feel bad about damaging a irreplaceable vintage blade. Also, please don't scallop any vintage blades. GDs are a blank canvas in a way for someone who doesn't want to start from scratch making a personal blade.

I've read all of the posts and the statement in Bold is what really confuses me

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I've read all of the posts and the statement in Bold is what really confuses me

If I practice my restore/repair skills on a GD and I destroy the temper, chip the blade, or any of the other millions things that can go wrong; I won't feel bad. Now, if it were a vintage blade I would feel terrible for destroying it, because it is irreplaceable.

Originally Posted by aa1192

If I practice my restore/repair skills on a GD and I destroy the temper, chip the blade, or any of the other millions things that can go wrong; I won't feel bad. Now, if it were a vintage blade I would feel terrible for destroying it, because it is irreplaceable.

If I understand you correctly:

You meant to write:

Now, if it were a vintage blade I would feel terrible for destroying it, because it is irreplaceable.

Instead of:

but I won't feel bad about damaging a irreplaceable vintage blade.

Now That makes sense. Well at least to me.

I thank you for the clarification.

I agree that using a 10 dollar, Gold Dollar razor isn't the best idea for someones first shave, but one from a reputable vendor who has take the time to fix it, is. They tend to be large, heavy and very forgiving, or at least mine are. As for everyone's like or dislike of them, I see it as this. This is a hobby, and like all hobbys you get what you put in to it. I tie flys for fishing; why, for the feeling of satisfaction knowing that the trout I just hooked was fooled by what I had labored to tie. Same goes for my Gold Dollars. Sure there are other razors that are of higher quality, but it feels great when I shave knowing I put the work in to make it happen. I have other razors, some are very good and of great quality but in the end a shave is a shave.

I wish I lived somewhere I could fly fish. I have been only once on the Colorado river in what seemed like a floating bathtub. I hooked a few and caught none, but it was so peaceful and relaxing. I could see tying those lures driving me insane though. My big hands have enough trouble seating my peening washers.

Originally Posted by aa1192

I wish I lived somewhere I could fly fish. I have been only once on the Colorado river in what seemed like a floating bathtub. I hooked a few and caught none, but it was so peaceful and relaxing. I could see tying those lures driving me insane though. My big hands have enough trouble seating my peening washers.

Fly fishing is something I have always wanted to try. Looks like good fun, esp in the surroundings I always see it taking place.
After reading thru again I can see your point of adventuring on a GD, really.
We cannot all forge and make our own blades to customize, for certain. I suppose if you really like to file, grind, and dremel, it is somewhat of a hobby to do so. ME? I don't much care to do so as my job entails enough grinding and filing to satisfy that part of me. I struggle to restore vintage blades and try to keep them as original as possible!
If you have fun doing it, carry on!

For me the Gold Dollars were an 'itch that could not be scratched'... Read Post after Post, scrutinized For Sale GD's and Reviews... Came up almost exactly 50/50 with the Pro Position always stating that if you put in the time they could be decent SR's... So, a couple years later I finally broke down and ordered a couple as I was getting a couple guys started and figured that a GD is about as perfect as it gets for learning to Strop so went for it.

My results were exactly the same... 50/50... One that I ordered had the Heel/Toe Spur, Spine wasn't straight and the Scales were Pre-Cracked with what looked like Asbestos & Mercury Pins holding it all together. The other was just a little bit better so that it gave me the illusion that, ".. with plenty of elbow grease and a positive attitude..", I could turn it into something that would shave.

So, I tossed the Wreck in the drawer then put the Other on 1K and just decided to dance long enough to get to know one another... The result was that I should have listened to the wiser and more sensible folk and left it completely alone... After about 15" on the 1K I don't think I made much of an impression on the GD and it darn sure made no positive impression on me.

After the Fog of "... must save and put into service a GD.." faded from my mind I gazed upon an all-too-accurate reality... Hirlau said it perfectly... It is simply not worth my time to bring a GD along to Shave Ready... Just too many Vintage/Survivor Blades out there to be worked on that have the quality, history and potential to become a solid SR in a nice line-up.

But, I understand the desire to scratch that itch...

Shawn
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ehhhh you can find random vintage blades to fix up for cheap enough if you feel like doing work