Thread: My Current Favorite Razor

I got my first straight razor in October: a new Dovo. As a newbie I found that razor to be basically useless, because I wasn't getting good shaves and I didn't want to ruin it with the hone. So I babied the razor and didn't get it sharp. I almost gave up with the straights because I felt hopeless that I would ever get my Dovo to work right. I stuck with it though by getting some cheap 10$ ebay specials. The first one to arrive was a "Revonah" made in Hanover Pensylvania. It's not a special razor, just a 5/8 barbers razor with a plastic handle. It has uneven hone wear and it had some small nicks when I got it. I wasn't afraid to ruin this razor, in fact I had no problem going to town with it on the hones. I used the 1k grit extensively to even out the bevel and work out the nicks. I even went as far as to try out a few passes on the 220 grit to see the effect it has on the blade. Then when I was almost there with the 1k I used the 4k to finish the bevel and ended with a pyramid on 4k/8k. When I was done the razor had a highly polished nearly even bevel, HHT sharp along the entire length. Then I stropped really well and I had my first shaving sharp razor. I've been shaving with it now whenever I have the time. I do the first pass with the straight and then clean up with a second pass using my DE. I enjoy shaving with my revonah and I really get a special feeling when I use it. Just the fact that it's my first real shaver makes it seem much nicer than it really is. Other people probably woulndn't want to look at it much less shave with it, but I think I will always keep it and always shave with it no matter how nice my rotation gets. I may have three razors right now that are nicer, but for now the Revonah is my favorite.

---Michael

I have a razor like that,a union brand 5/8 spike point plastic handle,I purchased two crap razors before winning it on ebay, the first two were not worth talking about ,I had just started and didn`t know any better anyway the ebay cheepie was also the first razor I honed to shaving sharp and is still used regularly at least once a week . It is worth nothing to anyone,except me of course and like yours ,will not be sold
Kind regards Peter
PS be careful ,please for your own good ,(STOP NOW)while you only have three
I have been at it about 8 months now and have over 40, is there no end.
Of course not I recieved another in the post today ,its a ripper I`ll have to pull it apart clean it and re pin. The scales are exellent but I will have to make a set just in case,and my Misses wants me to paint the house ,Ha ! I just don`t have time ,well see Ya I`m off to the shed, my first home

Good job on honing that blade! It is an awesome feeling to finally feel like your honing got a razor sharp.

Now, take what you learned and sharpen up that Dovo.

Favorite is a W&B from eBay. The seller had a really crap picture, I was lucky to get it for $10 and it was NOS. It's probably my best shaver but I love it even more cause it was a bargain!

My first is a 5/8 thistle cut single hollow that I picked up at an antique shop which is also my favorite. It is the razor that I learned all my basic skills with!!

Anyone can go out and buy a new razor and send it out and have it honed but just think of that old razor and how many have shaved with it and what that razor has seen over the years and the passing of so much and so many (if it could only talk to you) and you have resurrected that razor into a good shaver again and some day maybe 150 years from now someone else will be doing the same with it and wondering who used it and what their lives were like.

Isn't this great or what?