Thread: DOVO factory sharp, what now?

I tried using a factory shave-ready dovo as well. With the same experience as you - pulling hairs.
Then I worked it over with a norton 4k/8k stone and on the second time I tried it out on the hone it actually matches the b/s/t shave-ready razor I have from this board.

So I went with your option 1 and am quite happy about it.

I will tell you what I did. I looked at the Dovo edge and say that it was pretty even all the way across. I have a DMT8EE and I did 10 laps on that. I also have a 4 sided strop and did 15 laps on 1.0, 0.5, and 0.25 and I am still getting excellent shaves. It all depends what you are comfortable with. Eventually you are going to have to at least know how to sharpen your razor. The hanging hair test is a good start to check sharpness and do it all the way up and down the blade. I have had really good luck with the above procedure, with multiple razors.


Good Luck,
Richard.

Originally Posted by riooso

I will tell you what I did. I looked at the Dovo edge and say that it was pretty even all the way across. I have a DMT8EE and I did 10 laps on that. I also have a 4 sided strop and did 15 laps on 1.0, 0.5, and 0.25 and I am still getting excellent shaves. It all depends what you are comfortable with. Eventually you are going to have to at least know how to sharpen your razor. The hanging hair test is a good start to check sharpness and do it all the way up and down the blade. I have had really good luck with the above procedure, with multiple razors.


Good Luck,
Richard.

I don't really know what all that means...
what is a DMT8EE? And you useed a "honing" strop with 3 different paste?
I only have like a daily strop right now, but I guess I will need some more later.

As to where I got the razor, I ordered from Fittjar soap. My problem with ordering from Europe/US is that I am on tour. Right now I am home for easter, and got my mail. Will be difficult to get anything from Europe/US right now.


Thanks for all your help and sugestions.
My shave tomorrow will ultimatly decide what I will do. Have done some stoping today, and will see if it helps. I am eager to learn how to hone anyway.

Øyvind
Porsgrunn, Norway

You got 2 options: either learn how to hone or send it to someone who can do it for you. If you send it off to someone within the EU you shouldn't have to pay VAT upon re-entering the country. I would be happy to do it for you but I don't know how long it will take to travel to the Netherlands and back again.

Hello Porsgrunn. A DMT8EE is a diamond plate that one uses for light honing. It is 3micron grit plate. It does not need lapping which is a process that one has to go through if using a stone because whatever you use for honing a razor it must be flat. A four sided strop is a paddle that has four leather sides to it. On each side is a diamond paste that you use for finishing a razor after it comes off the hone. I have 3.0,1.0,0.5,0.25 micron pastes on each of the different sides. "The Well Shaved Gentleman" is run by a fellow named Tony who does really good work on strops, but he is in the USA. I would think there are people in Europe who do about the same work but not quite the quality of Tony
If all this is new to you then you probably need to have your razor outside honed but there is still the question of taking care of the edge. I really think the pasted strop is the answer for the average guy that doesn't want to be a honing master.
Do searches on this site and read a lot and you will find out what you need to know for the most part.

Good luck,
Richard

Hello oyvihaug, i live in Stokke, not very far from Porsgrunn, if you want to you can drop by and i could show you some honing and stropping,just send me a pm if you're interested.

I 've seen two brand new Dovos recently. One of them is mine and it shaved very well with its factory edge. The other one belongs to a friend and it didn't shave without heavy pulling right out the box.
Either way, when such a factory sharpened razor receives its first real honing, that would require a bit of extra work, because the bevel needs to be reset. To prevent hone wear while sharpening a new razor at the factory, they lift the spine of the sharpening stone, which leads to an unknown bevel angle that needs to be replaced by a normal bevel, created with the razor flat on the hone. It's a bit of extra work, but with a good set of instructions and the right set of hones it is not that difficult. My newbie friend managed to do it on his very first attempt.
If you want I can lend you a shaveready Henckels Friodur, for as long as it takes you to figure out how to hone your Dovo. I 'm in Belgium. Don't know what it would cost to send it to Norway, but it can't be that much. Just PM me if your interested.

Good luck,
Bart.

I tried my second open razor shave today. It was awful... Razor burns and pulling of hair. Whatever I did yesterday I think only made the blade more dull, or maby I am doing something compleately wrong.

I will start to learn how to sharpen and hone. Hopefully I will stop by Terje or someone else in a short while, and they will send me in the right direction PM sent to Terje and Bart

This place is full of helpfull people

Thanks for all the help

Øyvind

Check out these threads for more info:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=16283

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=16060

Sandy