Thread: Razors

Hi every body, reasonably new to this straight razor pallaver, tried it once before about 12 years ago and just didn't know what I was doing so gave it up. Well now I am back at it with a determination that is getting much better results. Firstly I bought what I thought was a good quality razor (Dovo Solingen 3/4") paid £120 for it, got myself a best quality badger brush, a set of stones, a hanging strop and pastes and lotions and creams and soaps and aftershaves and balms, phew the amount of money I have spent on getting it right is crazy, decided that the razor was too big and thats why I wasn't getting a good shave so bought a smaller 1/2" one which I kept going at and honeing and stropping and got a few decent shave's from it. Then I saw a advert for a Zowada 9/16" Damascus which I just had to have, the post man came and I had 4 days growth and stropped it for a bit and got the rest of the kit out and finally have managed to get the best shave I have ever had in my life it was such a pleasure to use this razor.This is not an advert and I have no connection to this razor maker but the quality makes shaving an absolute pleasure.

It's great to hear that your shaves are going well. They will just keep getting better from here on out, so just keep at it.

Love the username, sorechops.

Don't give up on your Dovo. While it might not be as purdy as your hand-made razor, it should give you shaves that are close to your Zowda once it's honed properly. Honing takes some getting used to; now you have a benchmark to shoot for.

Good luck,
Josh

Welcome and WoW!

What an entry with a Zowada (albeit second)

Best of luck
Ivo

Your Dovo will never shave like the Zowada. It is a softer metal. The feel will always be different. However, Dovo's usually are very servicable and can be honed to shave very well. I really enjoy my Zowada razor as well.

Best of Luck.

Lynn

Fair enough--I didn't word my post quite like I intended. Just meant to say that a Dovo isn't a Zeepk and will also shave well once it's honed to its potential.

Josh

Isn't it remarkable the amount of money we spend to enable us to save on the buying disposable blades? Is is possible that the good King Camp Gillette has been reincarnated and is applying some reverse psychology? "It worked well the first time, lemme put a little english on this ball..."

Yup, and there ain't no moths in my wallet neither; the ease with which it slips out of my pocket would make one swear it had been greased with the finest of lubes.

Bruce

Finally, another Londoner! Welcome sorechops, maybe this is the start of a London SRP chapter.

Looks like you have all the gear you need, and then some. And success at such an early stage. Nice one!

M.

The shave from the Dovo is nowhere near the same as the Zowada, it doesn't even sound the same it seems that if I tapped the razors on the sink I would get a high pitched note from the Zowada. I know nothing about metals but I am getting to know a good shave when I have one.

Originally Posted by sorechops

it seems that if I tapped the razors on the sink I would get a high pitched note from the Zowada.

This is "if I tapped them on the sink" in theory right? Please don't tell me you're really tapping them on the sink?

Razors can sound very different during honing,stropping and shaving. I suspect this is more to do with the grind (full hollow, half-, quarter-, and wedge) of the blade rather than sharpness.

TI do an extra-hollow grind which they call a "singing" blade because of the sound it makes as a result of the grind.