DOVO factory sharp, what now?

Hi
Today I recieved my DOVO razor, and tried out my first open razor shave.
Yes... I did read all the coments about getting expert honing. Due to complicated Norwegian mail rules, ordering from internet is slow, and could take months. I wanted to try out a open razor shave as soon as possible.
I also got confused by the Norwegian store and the DOVO sharpening service. My thoughts were, if they did sharpening service, the new blades would also be good.
Anyone know how sharp they are compared to expert honed?

Do anyone know if the DOVO sharpening service is any good? (not new razor?)

I now consider several options..

1 To get another DOVO razor and a hone. Start shaving with one and start learning to hone on the other one. I realize I might not get a very good shave in a long time, but I will learn.
How hard is it?

2 To order shave ready razor. Then I will not start shaving in several months...Because of the Norwegian mail/tax rules, and I am travelling a lot.

3 Get a shavette, and honing stone for the razor. Maybe the way to go?

Would be good if anyone experienced with honing could help.

Øyvind

So how was your first shave?

I've gotten good shaves from new Dovos with the factory honing job. What I've found to be helpful is to really strop them thoroughly using the linen side of your strop - something like 100-200 laps. For at least some of their razors this seems to be all they really need. Since you've already got the razor it can't hurt to give this a try.

It was not all bad, but not very good. A lot of hair pulling. I did not get the shave soap any good, so it dried out before I were finished.
I realize I did a lot of mistakes, and think it will be better next time.

I will now go strop my razor :) your coment is a great help.

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oyvihaug

Hi
Today I recieved my DOVO razor, and tried out my first open razor shave.
Yes... I did read all the coments about getting expert honing. Due to complicated Norwegian mail rules, ordering from internet is slow, and could take months. I wanted to try out a open razor shave as soon as possible.
I also got confused by the Norwegian store and the DOVO sharpening service. My thoughts were, if they did sharpening service, the new blades would also be good.
Anyone know how sharp they are compared to expert honed?

Do anyone know if the DOVO sharpening service is any good? (not new razor?)

I now consider several options..

1 To get another DOVO razor and a hone. Start shaving with one and start learning to hone on the other one. I realize I might not get a very good shave in a long time, but I will learn.
How hard is it?

2 To order shave ready razor. Then I will not start shaving in several months...Because of the Norwegian mail/tax rules, and I am travelling a lot.

3 Get a shavette, and honing stone for the razor. Maybe the way to go?

Would be good if anyone experienced with honing could help.

Øyvind

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Witch store did you use?

If you want to go the Syderco route you can get them i Norway, my experience with ordering stuff from the US is that it will take about 14 days for items to arrive, customs will charge for "toll" sometimes, but most of the time not.


If you decide to get a hone, try to get a wapi from wojtec or another cheap razor for practice .

Don't forgett There are a couple of guys in Europe who do a good job honing razors. It might be worth your while to get ahold of one of them and get your blade hand honed by someone who knows how. Or even better if you can get to their place and get a lesson thats an invaluable experience that will really giv you a step up in this whole hobby.

Quote:

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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.

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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

You will find Lynn's DVD helpful as well as the interactive straight razor shaving guide on Badger and Blade, it 'll give you a lot of info on the various hones available including a personal rating by Joel who put the guide together.