Thread: SRD shopping

My first razor was a Dovo Bismark from SRD with bone scales and I still use it, I haven't "outgrown" it as they use the same steel in their more affordable razors as the higher end ones & I have some very nice razors in my rotation. You can never go wrong with Dovo, but why limit yourself there...there are MANY other quality vintage razors as well as other quality makers of new razors too.

A paddle vs a hanging strop is just a preference thing, I have both and use both...but I mostly use my hanging strops. I "feel/think" a paddle is a bit easier to learn to strop on as you have less to focus on (strop tension), but again it's a preference thing.

Soaps/creams, they too are a preference thing like cologne. Water seems to effect how they perform, what works for me may not work as well for you. A soap that has worked in every water type I have encountered in my travels and what I rate other soaps on is Proraso. For me, it's a great middle of the road soap that performs very well, best of all it's quite affordable. I always keep a spare, but experiment with other soaps.

Most of this "sport" is a preference thing. A key to any quality razor is how it's honed and maintained. Stropping is very important to maintaining a razor, I strop a minimum of 40x after a shave and 60x before a shave. Most every honer asks that you don't strop before the first shave on a freshly honed razor as they come 100% shave ready, but after the shave you need to strop. Just wiping off the blade is not enough. Once you get the hang of things (average of 30 shaves) I have a feeling that you will be hooked for life...you have been warned.

Shortly after getting my first razor from SRD - a Dovo Inox Ebony - I set out to acquire a 7-day rotation of razors. I'm up to 6, and decided to wait for the right price on a nice Bartmann or something. (Something tells me I'll wind up with something more like ten by this time next year...) I'd say to look around A LOT first, because there's a lot to see and consider, which is half the fun. The sample sets you can get for soaps, creams and after shaves can keep you busy for a good while, too. Meanwhile, you're shaving and stropping every day. (I think I want a Dovo Bismark, too...) My fav so far is my C-MON Cadillac (lucite), but I just got a Dubl Duck Satin Wedge that is gaining...

Alerted to my new RAD affliction, my in-laws noted that SWMBO's grandmother was a barber, and her father still had her razor - a Red Imp. I received that in the mail for Christmas. It'll be a project - it's pretty rusty, but we'll see!

Originally Posted by shooter74743

My first razor was a Dovo Bismark from SRD with bone scales and I still use it, I haven't "outgrown" it as they use the same steel in their more affordable razors as the higher end ones & I have some very nice razors in my rotation. You can never go wrong with Dovo, but why limit yourself there...there are MANY other quality vintage razors as well as other quality makers of new razors too.

A paddle vs a hanging strop is just a preference thing, I have both and use both...but I mostly use my hanging strops. I "feel/think" a paddle is a bit easier to learn to strop on as you have less to focus on (strop tension), but again it's a preference thing.

Soaps/creams, they too are a preference thing like cologne. Water seems to effect how they perform, what works for me may not work as well for you. A soap that has worked in every water type I have encountered in my travels and what I rate other soaps on is Proraso. For me, it's a great middle of the road soap that performs very well, best of all it's quite affordable. I always keep a spare, but experiment with other soaps.

Most of this "sport" is a preference thing. A key to any quality razor is how it's honed and maintained. Stropping is very important to maintaining a razor, I strop a minimum of 40x after a shave and 60x before a shave. Most every honer asks that you don't strop before the first shave on a freshly honed razor as they come 100% shave ready, but after the shave you need to strop. Just wiping off the blade is not enough. Once you get the hang of things (average of 30 shaves) I have a feeling that you will be hooked for life...you have been warned.

a very informative post shooter, find it quite hard to disagree with you there, but then again i dont intend to disagree . I have been eyeing a few vintage razors, i recently visited gemstar razors and revisor solingen online stores and found that i absolutely must have a few of those razors!
i know a lot of people consider the paddle strop good for travelling purposes, but my desire to own one is purely for the sake of owning one i am a undergrad student in my first year so i dont think ill have to worry much about travelling for a while! but the srd modular just seems so perfect
and before i considered buying tobs sandalwood cream i bought an arko shave stick and pressed it into a mug (used my hands as it was quite soft) so i can appreciate the expensive stuff more i have found that it is very good soap. also, i must agree with you about getting hooked, idk if you have read my earlier post but i have been shaving daily with a straight for the last month and i am indeed very much hooked on it

Originally Posted by Furcifer

Shortly after getting my first razor from SRD - a Dovo Inox Ebony - I set out to acquire a 7-day rotation of razors. I'm up to 6, and decided to wait for the right price on a nice Bartmann or something. (Something tells me I'll wind up with something more like ten by this time next year...) I'd say to look around A LOT first, because there's a lot to see and consider, which is half the fun. The sample sets you can get for soaps, creams and after shaves can keep you busy for a good while, too. Meanwhile, you're shaving and stropping every day. (I think I want a Dovo Bismark, too...) My fav so far is my C-MON Cadillac (lucite), but I just got a Dubl Duck Satin Wedge that is gaining...

Alerted to my new RAD affliction, my in-laws noted that SWMBO's grandmother was a barber, and her father still had her razor - a Red Imp. I received that in the mail for Christmas. It'll be a project - it's pretty rusty, but we'll see!

i have read a great deal about Dubl Ducks, sounds like a must have! wow! 10?? sounds like youre going for an armory setup rather than a shave den goodluck though! i too have plans....
and congrats for the christmas present! would love to see pictures of the project! goodluck

[QUOTE=moehal;1079140] the paddle seems like a great strop, do you own the modular? i am considering a modular for my next purchase [/QUOTE

Yes I bought the modular paddle.I use it in combo with a Norton 4/8 for honing antiques I find.