Thread: Beginner Questions

Greetings All, I'm a kitchen knife knut who has gotten the urge to try a straight razor and I have some initial questions:

1. Is there a significant sharpness advantage for the steel used in a new razor, like a dovo "silver steel", vs the steel commonly used in a vintage German straight?

2. Balance-wise how does an ebony wood scaled dovo compare to a bakelite or some other synthetic scaled vintage?

3. Does triple-pinning offer any practical advantage when shaving? Thanks in advance, Adagimp

Well I have gotten here from the kitchen as well. The steel is always a factor but with razors it is not well enough documented by the manufacturers from my observations to approach the predictability one enjoys choosing other cutlery. Most of the manufacturers have long since gone and there just wasn't the depth of knowledge when they were thriving or as many choices of alloys as there are presently. Someone like Glen or Lynn might be the best source based on the number of different examples they work against the stones.

Some of the sharpest steel I have is 50 years+ razors. I have Hitachi Blue Supersteel as well as White #1 and VG10 knives but they possess no advantage to the antique razors I have slid across my face.

A far as triple pinning or balance, I haven't got the experience to offer advice.

Welcome to SRP. Your first 2 questions are a YMMV kind of thing

1. No sharpness advantage on new vs vintage steel. In fact some prefer vintage.
2. Balance wise, wood scaled Dovos are ok tho some models feel a bit 'chunky' to my hands.
3. Triple pinning is usually just a way to fit a razor with a thick tang to scales without fouling the sides. No relation to shaving at all.

For triple-pinning:

When you open and close most double-pinned razors, the scales at the hinge end are forced further apart by the thickness of the tang.

If you adjust the spacing of the scales _just right_ on a triple-pinned razor, you can arrange for the scales to be _parallel_ at the hinge. So they don't move as you open/close the blade.

Maybe -- just maybe -- that gives longer scale life.

Charles