Thread: Dovo models

While I have been getting ready to start SR saving and starting to get the stuff to strop my soon to come razor, I got a call from my Son. He works in a crew that travels all over the country remodeling stores. His Girl friend left him about a year ago and he got rid of his house. He ran out of double side razor blades so he started saving with a SHAVETTE That his girl friend used for hair cuts. He was asking me if I happen to have any of Grandy's (his great grandfather) razors left. (I don't).

This gave me an Idea for his birthday next April. I could have a custom razor built for him. By that time he will have had his first razor and will know how to take care of it, so It could be a perfect gift. In going thru all the wonderful resources here, I have seen the silver scales that are done by one of the members here. I was thinking that rather then search for a fine old German blade to take apart, I could just send a new Dovo to have rescaled. My question is this... Is there any difference in the BLADES on the Dovos? (Assuming the same size and grind) Basicly I asking if he will get the same quality if I buy a $80 razor as if I bought the $200 one? I'm going to throw the scales away anyway, so if there is different quality blades, what level do the better ones start?

Thanks again

Craig

Sounds like he's using a hair shaper to shave with now. That's not good.

I wouldn't spend a huge amount of money on a first straight cause he may decide he doesn't like it.

As far a blade quality goes you could buy a vintage razor and it could very well be superior to any factory razor made these days. Nothing wrong with a TI or a Dovo new but often times the older stuff is better. As the price goes up you're usually paying for fancy work on the blade and fancy scales.

I have a Dovo Best Quality (the cheapest dovo mind you), i think it gives the same shave as the Mamoth Dovo. However, mine has a small imperfection, not one that will influence shaving but still. The guy I sent it to in order to get honed told me he had the impression the blades are checked and the ones with minor imperfections are made to be the "cheap" ones. One step more expensive are the ebony dovo's i think, the silver steel is very pretty i think.

If you get a new Dovo make sure you get it honed! There are several threads on this on SRP

Maybe you can also find a beauty here in the Classifieds section.

Whatever you choose i'm sure he will be very pleased! Good luck!

With Dovo, when the price goes up, that means that there are fancier scales, gold etching, etc. The actual blade itself is basically the same.

FWIW, I'd like to recommend to your attention the DOVO Special with the fake tortise shell scales. My Special is a razor which is both grand to look at and grand to shave with.

The "micarta" has that ice tempered Stainless steel that looks really nice in my opinion

When all razors are sharp and properly honed, they all should be able to give a good shave. The looks, the longer term performance, and care logistics will yield a preference. But it may take a few SR's to find it.

It may take a little time for him to use the SR and get away from using the Shavette. A TI or Dovo is one that he can likely sell or trade more easily when he wants to try something new.

The Dovo I started out with is the Tortoise Special. It shaved well and was forgiving, but I found the metal a little soft for my preference and it had to be stropped on my pasted strop every two shaves. But it sharpened up quickly. Overall a good first razor and it has a nice look to it. He will like the forgiveness quality of it since the Shavette is very sharp on its first shave and offers no forgiveness.

Good Luck,


Pabster

This brings up another question. (If you hang with me long enough you know what that question is). I have a number of people tell me I should move up to the SS Dovos. I have not considered this as I have thought carbon steel will take a sharper edge and last a lot longer. Now I know NOTHING about the steels used in Razors, but I have a bit of experience with stainless steel knife blades.

My Son and I have a little friendly competition going on with knifes. My house can be falling down around me, buy you will never find a dull knife Just after he built his house, he bought a set of Henckels International Forged Synergy knives. With hunting season, he brought them over and was on his third knife when we finished boning out the first deer. My blue steel (Kobayashi ) Japanese knife was still going. He got sucked in to some Cutco knifes at a sports show (as the world's sharpest knife) and thought it would go up against my *Kazuyuki Damascus knife (the pride of my knife block). Wasn't even close-but somehow he didn't realize the Cutco was really a serrated knife. At any rate, I have the strong belief that Stainless can't be take or keep an edge as good as a carbon steel knife. (OK question coming)

From a point of taking and holding an edge, is carbon steel better then stainless steel?

Originally Posted by cgswss

From a point of taking and holding an edge, is carbon steel better then stainless steel?

For razors, not really. Generally carbon steel can have a little bit extra sharpness, but it oxidizes faster, so it won't hold the edge as well as stainless, and oxidization is usually the dominant factor for edge longevity.

But stainless is also pretty high carbon content, so it is just a little bit more resistent.

Plus not every carbon steel is the same and not every stainless steel is the same either. But in the Dovo line the difference, while notable is there and the stainless micarta razors can be sharper than some of the carbon steel ones. I actually have had few of them, but always ended up deciding the decoration is too much for my taste.