Thread: Need help picking out 1st straight razor

Dovo is decent quality, and the 5/8 round point is the commonest starter razor. The one you have looks good in the picture.

You did buy it properly 'shave ready', I trust?

Yo Angry Piper,

So how does the DOVO 5/8 ebony shave? I'm working on figuring out how to hone a razor and haven't worn one out yet, but am advancing on that position. Personally, I like the appearance of the DOVOs. The apparent pride in craftsmanship of that company's products hopefully indicates that what you can't see, steel, heat treating, etc, is also of good quality. And ebony is one of those woods which says knife haft all over it.

Cheers, Bruce

Well, I am not quite insane yet, I guess I have about 10.

You can go to E-Bay and altima55 always has good shave ready razors. I would just bid 27.00 or so on all of them and you should get one. I look for when he says "real nice shaver" or something to that effect.

If you would like, E-Mail him and ask about the 3 wapenica razors he is honing for me. You could purchase it direct from him shave ready, and those are pretty good starter razors. Or, again, any of his have been excellent.

For what you save on the razor, for now, you might want to get a paddle strop f rom Miller. I use my 1.0 and 0.5 micron every time I shave.


Good luck, Jerry.

Bruce-
The Dovo shaves well, as far as I can tell. It was certainly sharp enough out of the box to shave my face. After about a dozen or so shaves though, it's starting to pull a bit. If I knew then what I know now after reading these forums for a month or so, I would probably have been less cavalier about shaving with it out of the box.
If it needs to be honed, as I suspect, then I guess it wasn't all that shave-ready when I bought it after all.

Hi.
I'd suggest the following:
-a round point. Easier to manuever. Never a problem.
-5/8 is the size I prefer.
-I purchased a NEW razor when I started out.
I wanted to give myself the best chance possible to learn, so I wanted a blade that I had total confidence in--so the fault (if any) would be with me.
-All four of the blades I purchased were Dovo's from Classicshaving.com.
All were shave-ready and of the highest quality. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a new Dovo.
-Over time I ordered a 4/8; 5/8 and 6/8 to see which size I liked the best. For me, the difference was quite substantial. The 6/8 was less manueverable in tight spots, and I tended to cut myself more. The 4/8 was great to manuever with, but had a little more "drag" or "bounce" on the thickest parts of my beard. The 5/8 for me has the manueverabilty (is that a word??) I want, and is a little "heavier" for the thicker parts of my beard--a happy in-between.
After I tried all three sizes, and became accomplished at stropping and using the stone, I purchased a high-quality, more expensive 5/8.
Now, this the only blade I use. I like the idea of having one blade that I will use 'till I drop. In time this razor will become "a best friend"--just like my old leather jacket I've worn and will continue to wear till I go toes up. Know what I mean???
Good luck,
Ron

Originally Posted by The Angry Piper

It was certainly sharp enough out of the box to shave my face. After about a dozen or so shaves though, it's starting to pull a bit.

If iy shaved you without any obvious pulling when you got it, then I'd call that shave ready. 10-12 shaves between touch up hones is about average for most people here. If that's true, then it needs 4-10 passes both ways on either a pasted paddle strop (easiest), or a fine barber hone or stone.

Originally Posted by knochrph

For what you save on the razor, for now, you might want to get a paddle strop f rom Miller. I use my 1.0 and 0.5 micron every time I shave.


Good luck, Jerry.

This really is NOT a good idea because you will overhone your edge very quickly, especially if they are diamond pastes. The pastes are meant to be used to refresh a dull edge, not everytime you shave.

That DOVO "Bergischer Lowe" Straight Razor, 5/8 is a beautiful and wicked looking blade!

Think of the style points.

That point should be pippin for getting the divit under your nose. Although likely a little less forgiving and I think that is why many the novices turn to rounded points. .

I concur on getting a master to hone whatever you get to a true and invaluable shave ready benchmark.

Am I likely to mess up my first straight razor?

That is up to you. Revere it, respect it, and don’t get cavalier.
Discipline yourself to the ways you could mess it up, tap spouts, fumbles, over honing, over stropping, etc. but with the access to the masters through this forum you would be hard pressed

to go through it fast.

Revisit your acquisition predisposition. If you are likely to get razor acquisition disorder and this will be but one of many purchases then starts with a basic and enjoys the rad. But if this may well be the only razor you and generations after you will ever own or need then why not get the sick one?

Good luck with your choices and congrats on your ability to have them.

Turns out there is a not so favourable review of this razor
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=12430
In the razor section

Bergischer Lowe shank condoms

Surprised noone mentioned this yet:
go to the Buy/Sell/Trade section and ask for a shaveready newbie razor.
You should be able to get one for a price that is cheaper than what you'd pay for a new razor, and it will be sharp to our standards.

As a newbie razor I recommend the Wapienicas from wojtec86 here.
They have very good steel, are easy to hone and they only cost 10 euros, shipping included. So when you screw up that razor, you won't have to regret it.