Hi there,

I am a new member on here and new enough to the world of straight razor shaving.

When I was a youngster my grandfather gave me a straight razor and showed me how to shave with it, however my mum put paid to that when I came back home after the summer. I was 12 so I can kind of see her point.

Whilst my grandfather was alive I would go over and shave with a straight as much as I could but that all stopped when he passed away nearly 20 years ago.

In the intervening years of work etc etc the thought of straight shaving kinda slipped out of my mind until recently. I now have a little more time to luxuriate in shaving and wish to take it up again.

I had a look for my grandfathers old razor and can find neither hide nor hair of it as such I need to buy myself a replacement.

This is where I need some help...

I have had a look online and quite frankly I am bewildered at the array of options available to me, it was far simpler when I was just given a razor and didnt have to make any choice of my own.

As far as I can remember the straight I used to use was a 6/8 but I haven't a clue who it was made by and chances are it is no longer in production (Grandad had owned it since just after WWI)

I have come across the Dovo Bismarck 6/8 and was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with these razors and if so are they something that you would recommend.

Apologies for the long winded post but it saves me having to go back and fill in the details later.

Tom