Thread: Rockwell Solingen? No good??

Hi all,

I am trying to find my self a decent razor. I have very tough stubble which is why I am looking into this and noticed I need to get myself a strop, strop paste and a decent razor.

I came across this eBay store with Rockwell Razors and wondered what you well-seasoned chaps think of it, and if you have come across it???

Here is the store:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Item number: 6570722405

I might be able to get a DOVO from overseas if I am lucky - here in Australia imported items that are resold cost much more than what you guys in US, UK and EU can get them for.

I also wanted to see what you guys think of these strops:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Item number: 6572999504

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Item number: 6572767347

Thanks for your time.

Kurt (OZ)

I think someone posted in another forum that these are Pakistani razors that are labled as Solingen. Do not buy a Pakistani razor. Get the Dovo if you can, or better yet, get a razor from one of our members that has been skillfully honed. It will save you a lot of grief and money.

Originally Posted by Korndog

I think someone posted in another forum that these are Pakistani razors that are labled as Solingen. Do not buy a Pakistani razor. Get the Dovo if you can, or better yet, get a razor from one of our members that has been skillfully honed. It will save you a lot of grief and money.

Korndog's right. There was a big to-do about this ruse perpetrated by someone outside the US. My first razor was from a member and it was, in retrospect, the right way to go.

The Rockwell Solingen is sold by several eBay dealers and is from Pakistan. I was offered them myself to resell and once I found out their origin I passed.

Many of us here, dealer and member alike will send razors to Oz. If you are starting out a shave ready razor froma trusted SRP member is the only way to go.

Tony Miller

Also, in reference to the strops question, I use an Illinois. It was my first, so I don't have a point of comparison, but it sure gets the job done well. And Tony below is being modest. He makes both paddle and hanging strops that have an excellent reputation (though I've yet to purchase one, I do have my eye on the four-sided one: that just seems an incredible deal, I wish I'd picked that up first). If the strops you saw on ebay are from the same people selling the pseud-solingen razors, I'd be a tad wary, but that's just me (for all I know they're great).
Best,
Mark

I've managed to acquire a couple of these "Solingen" razors in lots I've purchased in the past. One was a "Rockwell Solingen" and one only had "Solingen" marked on it. Both looked like "the good razors" in the lot because they weren't shown individually with enough detail to discern the telltale signs, such as cheap grind, cheap gold wash and cheap markings. One even had a "Solingen" inlay on the handle (done very badly, too).

Aside from these minor telltale signs that they are Pakistani razors, there's only one other difference worth mentioning - Sharpened carefully on fine hones or sharpened with 0.25 micron diamond paste and then properly stropped on a fine Russian Shell hanging strop - or quality paddle strop, their shaving capability can't be compared to any other razors I own. I've got some steak knives that compare well, though.

Any would-be striaght-razor shaver who picks up a nice beginner set like those being sold on Ebay by the Pakistani junk mongers is sure to conclude that shaving with a straight razor is for complete idiots or people who get a thrill out of testing their pain tolerance threshold as an early morning wake-up ritual.

They're a horrible practical joke being played on people who want to enjoy a great straight razor shave and some axehole is selling the crap out of them. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd be thinking either Bic or Gillette was sponsoring this as a cheap way to sabotage the ongoing resurgence in straight razor shaving enthusiasm.

Just wanted to add that not ALL of the beginner shave sets being sold on eBay are Pakistani junk <g>. There seems to be three or four sets being sold at any one time. One from the UK, three are from the USA, mine use real German made razors and my own USA made strops and run around $100. The others I have seen typically sell for well under $50 and obviously you are going to get EXACTLY what you paid for there.

Tony Miller.......heirphoto on eBay

Many thanks chaps.

I had a funny feeling about the Rockwell considering it's price in comparison to the DOVO. As the say, you get what you pay for - so I'm going to hunt around and see what DOVO's I can find.

thesaint13,

No reason for you to take my word for this, but please, do. If you want a great beginner setup...Tony is the man! I have his paddle strop and #2 hanging strop. There is NO DOUBT that he is proud to put his name on them. Absolutely first class items!

RT

PS...this advertisement paid for by NO ONE. Just a very satisfied customer.

You would do well with a starter set from Tony Miller.
His seller ID on Ebay is heirphoto. He has many satisfied customers on this forum and elsewhere. The straight razors that are included in his sets are the equal of the Dovo brand or better. Be aware that if you purchase a Dovo it will NOT! be shave ready. Tony's razors are shave ready, he hones them himself.
It would be a shame if you bought a Dovo from someone and a strop someplace else and expected to start shaving. That will not happen.

On this site, in the Gallery section> Gear for Sale>Tony Miller you will find his sets listed, check them out.