Stereotypes.

After two months of use, my razors (Luna, Kama, Dovo) having known only the strop, begin to feel fatigue. Would you believe that the best is the Dovo 4580?. It was the first one I bought for a few euros and despite what is said about the factory readiness it still manages to give me a satisfactory shave. I'm the first to be surprised ...:hmmm:

I hone a lot of new Dovo’s and TI’s, occasionally they come with pretty good edges, and on some very close to actual shave ready, that a touch up or good progressive stropping could produce a shave ready edge.

I still reset the bevels fully on a 1k and do a full progression to ensure a solid edge.

The importance of stropping cannot be overlooked. Proper stropping alone, especially on good linen and finishing on leather can revive a flagging edge and improve a decent or good one.

I have been experimenting, stropping on Flax firehose while honing and feel the effects are dramatic and can build a strong edge quicker. Here again stropping is very under rated.

Vintage Dovo’s are a treat, can be great shavers and often picked up dirt cheap.

I have a very few new manufactured straight razors and it has been about 50/50 with a shave ready edge from the factory with them.

Bob