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

Oh the allure of a Gold Dollar razor to the new straight shaver. You are telling me I can get a razor that will shave for under ten dollars shipped?!?!?!?! What is wrong with all these suckers paying 100 bucks? How is Dovo still in business? A Gold Dollar can be made shave ready and be a pretty darn good shaver; that is a fact! What you don't see is the amount of effort it can take to get from point A to shave ready.

Gold Dollar in my experience has been quite the crap shoot razor to razor. My first 66 had a stablizer that was obscene; I mean like a good bit of Dremel grinding to fix the issue. That is not even the worst... Today I got another 66 and it is a trainwreck, a fixable trainwreck, but it's gonna be a lot of work before it even touches the hones.

The new 66's edge has heel spur, a toe spur (didn't even know this existed til today), and a couple frowns. The blade hits the scales when you close it, the round point is way off kilter, and as always the stabilizer is a mess. That means I have to: breadknife the blade, change out the scales (I could probably straighten the blade, but the scales look terrible and crack easily), possibly straighten out the point for looks, grind out the stablizer, and finally reset a factory bevel from my breadknife. This is a decent amount of time and work with some experience, so imagine it being your first go. This does not even include running it through a honing regiment and most honers aren't gonna do that initial work for ya.

Doing this work can be fun and really rewarding, but not as your first razor. Your first Gold Dollar should be your first restore/project razor if anything. You learn a ton and it is okay to screw it up. Plus you should see some of the mods other people do....AWESOME. A fixed GD is a great way to practice honing strokes as well and I often use my GDs as new hone testers. Learning to shave with a straight is pretty darn hard at first so save yourself the 10 bucks and many headaches til later on when it will be fun and valuable. Get a good vintage razor off the classifieds or buy new, but get something that out of the box is gonna be a great shaver without any work. I am not saying don't buy a GD; I am saying wait and go into it with clear expectations. That GD is gonna need work, but that's the best part about them. They are only as good as you can make them.

That actually makes a lot of sense. I admit, I was one of the people browsing all of those cheap GD on amazon and eBay when I was first getting into the sport. Thankfully, I read up on them across multiple shaving forums and avoided that train wreck... not that my first blade didn't fall into that category on its own anyways. This could be fun later down the line when I can afford to get some good hones and dremmel bits. Something along the lines of this post should be posted somewhere as a primary search for Gold Dollar on the site to let the newbies know what to expect should they try to buy the cheap-o blade.

A 6/8 Gold Dollar 208 shave ready razor was my 1st regular straight shave after using a Feather AC SS razor for 6 months. I bought my GD from a local honemeister who had already made corrections and honed it to shave ready. It's still in my rotation. Just yesterday, I had a "Poor Boy Shave" using my least expensive razor, brush and soap (Razor: GD 208-Brush: Semogue 1470-Soap: Palmolive). I got a great BBS shave from these inexpensive but quality products. The GD shaved as close as I get from my Dovo Bismarck, Boker 6/8 Silver Steel EH or Dubl Duck Goldedge. The GD's fit & finish is crude but the blade steel must be high quality because it holds a good edge

My GD 208 is interesting because it shaves as good as any of my Dovo, Boker or vintage razors that I now have. The GD has a thick heavy spine but is ground to a very thin blade near the cutting edge so that the blade tip actually "pings" when plucked with a fingernail much like my extra hollow "singing" razors.

The GD is still in my rotation because it gives a close shave, feels heavy in the hand and reminds me you can get a good shave with inexpensive but quality materials. The GD ain't pretty but "It'll get'r done".

Going by the title, I thought you were gonna say they have a new manager, and all these issues had been ironed out and they were dropping the price by $1. The one and only I ever bought, I must have got lucky, not perfect, but not bad either, the scales were rubbish, but took an ok edge. I promptly destroyed it with a dremel trying to customise it.

I never owned one but have been reading on them. Apparently they are hit and miss razors. Some reputable vendors sell them shave ready. IIRC at least one honemeister buys them by the 100, chucks the bad ones and sells the good ones shave-ready. You pay for the honing and the razors that are being disposed of in the process.

yes a hit and miss ,,but why bother there are plenty of good razors you can restore in the 10-20 range , that need work also and they would be worth something when done ,, heck I got a Kinfolks blue steel for 20 that only needed honing, and it will always be worth more than a GD, to each his own I guess, but if you polish a turd its still one but I,m glad that there being used and someone is finding a use for them good luck tc

i started with a cheapo razor
almost turned me off straight razors

I agree with tcrideshd

restore a name brand one that will have resale value

Are you saying my second hand GD store is a bust? Like I said it's nice to make mistakes fixing a GD rather than a vintage blade. I love restoring vintage though and spend most of my energy doing that. You are gonna probably make a good few mistakes your first restore FYI. One thing I wish I had known is hone a blade some before taking it apart so you can fix any heel shoulder issues before you polish it up.

As I understand a few of the points that you made with the Gold Dollar; my thoughts are a little different.
I am limited with my time, meaning that the son & other hobbies load up my agenda. I don't have the time or desire to start with a razor, that I know is lacking in overall quality, to practice with,,, whether it be honing or restoration. I have only restored about a dozen razors, learning from each as I go along. I pick a vintage razor with the hope of bringing out the best in it & putting it on the line for another 50 to 100 years. I don't see the advantage or investment coming from a Gold Dollar. No ,,, I don't own one nor do I dislike them,,, I just don't see them worth my time,,,,, JMO :shrug:

I am..er...thinking of what you mean here. Are you saying that someone should develop skills on good razors with issues and progress to making magic on GD's after they learn? Why? Not kidding, just don't understand the logic. A gold dollar custom is exactly that. A custom gold dollar. Waste of time, IMO. Each to his own!

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.

Quote:

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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.

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cudarunner

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

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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.

Quote:

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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.

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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. :tu

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.

Quote:

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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.

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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! :D
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 :shrug:

Ruh-Roh! I've got a supposedly "Shave-Ready" GD coming in the mail. my first SR. well, not my first-- I actually got one in a lot of DE razors I bought, it's got this wierd comb attachment on it. it looks like the comb on a long comb DE razor only bigger. just as an experiment I ran it gently over my cheek and it cut the whiskers off, didn't cut skin.

Rah-Rah,,,,,,,,,that's nice :tu

I seem to be changing my mind every other day about GD....
But there are some good points there: Because it's so cheap I practice honing and stropping on it, and because it is so cheap I don't mind braking, cracking or ruining it in any other way. the fact that I don't mind actually gives me confidence with my actions, and I learn better that way :]

Nonetheless - today, after realizing that once you have one razor you'll probably have at least one more, I wouldn't advise anyone to buy a GD as his first razor....

as for restoration projects - it's better to get a vintage razor for 5-10 dollars and work on that one, IMHO :]

Attachment 173361hhmmmmm. turns out my junker SR is an Eric Ern? made in solingen-Wald, germany. I shined it up, the blade looks nice, but a piece of bakelite is broken off the handle at the end ...