Robert Klaas or something else?

Greetings, Lords (and Ladies?) of the SRP Castle,

I've been thinking about trying out the straight razor shave for a while and I want to get a new razor (I wasn't lucky enough to get an old one from a relative and start from there :D). Of course, I have no idea what to buy but my choice is somewhat limited anyway.

I live in Bulgaria and the only razor I could find for sale here is a Robert Klaas, around 100 EUR (135 USD). It seems like it's a good razor but I can't find it in the list of recommended brands here and I'm having doubts... I have one more option which seems easy enough - a friend of mine is coming back from Germany in a few weeks and I could ask him to bring me one etc etc.

So if I can ask for your opinion - should I just get the Robert Klaas here or can I get something better from Germany. And if so - is Amazon a good place to shop for a razor or is it not recommended. Is there another vendor in Germany that I should try, a specialized store / something directly linked to Solingen? I will also need a strop and a better brush, so I might benefit from a combo set of some kind... Tell me what you think!

Kodama

EDIT: Also, Straight Razor Designs and a Razor honed by Lynn sounds awesome but it would probably cost twice as much to ship to Bulgaria.. I don't know if I should even consider it as an option...

The most important thing if you're just starting is that the razor is truly "shave ready". The brand isn't probably going to be as important as shave ready for learning.

Kodama,

Welcome to Straight Razor Place. Yes, Robert Klaas is a fine razor and will give you a good start. I assume the razor is in good shape and that it is shave ready. If it needs work, then I would not spend that much money.

Remember restoring the razor will cost you more. Also, if it is not shave ready, you will have to spend money for honing. I am not sure what kind of razor Amazon will sell you. If it offers a quality Dovo, Boker or Thiers-Issard, you're safe. Still, you will probably have to have it honed.

Finally, don't attempt to hone it yourself, because honing requires skill and the proper stones. Send it out for honing. In the end, you might be better off buying your razor from a prominent vendor and accepting the shipping charges.

Welcome to SRP. Obie and the Major are telling you the right stuff. Also check out ...... Straight Razor Place Library - Straight Razor Place Library :gl:

Thanks for the replies!

I know I will have to have it honed, I actually know someone here who can do that - no matter what I buy I will give it to him first. He restored and honed an old razor for a friend of mine and it was perfect (he shaved with that razor before bringing it to that guy, stropping for 20 minutes before every shave and still having a hard time... generally not having fun at all). He is pretty much a lifetime pro and that's all he does for a living.

The Robert Klaas is brand new - it's sold by the only major store that sells Solingen products like knives, razors, scissors etc. in Bulgaria. Rasiermesser und Zubehör - I think the two models I saw at that store were 338 (not sure, I don't remember it exactly) and 344. I guess there's no reason not to just get one.

I think I will get cream / brush / strop like the ones in the 'on a budget' article, or maybe a 3" strop of somekind. I have a brush and some cream but I don't think they're any good, especially the brush, which is a 5$ piece of junk...

Be aware that I think when most people here refer to Robert Klass they are referencing the vintage ones. The ones in the link you provided appear to new production and I for one did not know there were new production Robert Klass brand razors being made. They may be a bit of an unknown here. That is not to say there is anything wrong with them just that there may be no experience with the new production ones.

Bob

You have to be rather cautious with current production of well known vintage brands which have gone out of business, such as what you have here.

Purchasing the legal rights to a defunct brand name is pretty trivial, but it does not transfer the expertise and reputation that's been built in the past. If this is a brand new company you want to stay way clear - instead of establishing themselves as a new company they are taking a shortcut. At best are extremely misleading through the purchase a superficial association with a well regarded entity that no longer exists. If you haven't heard anything good from a reputable source about the production of this new company it's safer to assume it's not comparable with that of the old brand.

Dovo and Thiers-Issard never stopped razor production and the continuity of machinery and trained workers helps with maintaining a reasonable product quality. Boker and Henckels are enormous concerns and have all the cash and expertise from their highly successful cutlery business to set up shop from scratch again even if they've ceased the production of Razors. Unless Robert Klaas belongs to Boker or Dovo and it's just a different brand of the same razors you want to dig deeper.
There is also the example of Giessen & Forsthoff - the current production bears no similarity to the vintage.

Look in our classifieds, there are a number of razors for less than $70, and if they are advertised as shave ready, then they should be, sellers here are also active members. Though you will maybe need to ask the seller about postage.

Yea, I was wondering why I was able to find the website with brand new production but there's no info about the brand here (it's not in the lists of trusted brands etc)... They might be good quality razors but at my beginner level I think I prefer to go for something I'm 100% sure.

I think I will go for Dovo, Thiers-Issard or Böker, it seems everyone agrees they are the best new production razors. Can I ask you this favor - will you take a look at these links and tell me if they are legit. If I had to guess I'd say they are the real thing but I'd rather be a little too cautious :D
Dovo from Amazon.de:
Dovo Rasiermesser Kohlenstoffstahl Creme Griff 5/8 "(101586): Amazon.de: Drogerie & Körperpflege
http://www.amazon.de/Dovo-Rasiermess...o+Rasiermesser
Dovo Rasiermesser 5/8 Zoll halbhohl rostfrei Goldätzung, Griffschalen aus Olivenholz: Amazon.de: Drogerie & Körperpflege
Dovo Rasiermesser No. 4 - Ebenholz: Amazon.de: Drogerie & Körperpflege
Böker / Amazon.de:
BÖKER RASIERMESSER TREE BRAND BROWN CANVAS MICARTA: Amazon.de: Küche & Haushalt

If you think any of these is good / better than the others please do tell, if all of these are good and real Dovo / Böker razors than I will just have to choose on my own.

Thanks in advance!

Kodama

Hi, just here to bump the thread a bit :D Does anyone have any ideas about the above - if these razors from amazon.de are really coming from the Dovo / Böker of Solingen. Or if anyone has any alternative vendor in Germany - please do tell :)

Thanks!