Honing a GD 66: what I learned about it, me, and my Apart

A few months ago I bought a GD 66 on eBay. I know, I know. I've read the reviews from really qualified people. I've read the statement here.

The thing is I'm a cheap ass. And I have read some reviews by people that say they are decent shavers. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. So I bought anyways.

It showed up today. My first straight was a cheap Indian razor (again, cheap ass) and it was better in many ways than that first razor (which incidentally is a wonderful envelope opener).

The scales were better than I thought but they are kind of fat unlike my good razors. I haven't used it yet but I don't think they will bother me too much. They are tight and the pins seem to be solidly placed - not sticking out or anything.

The real difference is the razor itself.

It is...rough...to put it nicely. At the toe of the razor there are a few chips. Not sure if that was caused by me honing or if it came from the factory like that. Either way is bad news.

There are machining marks at the heel and shoulder where someone tried to cut down the excessive material above the heel which, as everyone suggested, would stop me from properly honing the heel of the razor.

The razor was sharper than I expected. It couldn't cut hair and didn't pull hair but cut paper well and I certainly wouldn't have drawn it across my skin.

Under the jewelers loupe there were clearly visible and large scratches in the blade and nicks in the edge.

I should specify that the blade was not sharpened, I don't think, but a very very rough bevel was ground into the blade.

I've been having trouble with my Apart barbers hone and decided that I could start off honing this blade with that. I'm sure some of you are wondering why I would choose that as the first hone to work on a blade from the ground up. Well...I've come to the conclusion that my apart is a sub 5000 grit stone. I've tried to use it to refresh a pulling blade but it just makes it worse.

So I started with the Apart. Pressure and circles and lots of swarf. The deep scratches were replaced with less deep scratches but chips were still visible. The center cleared up first and the edges after so I had to give them some extra love. Heel never did clean up.

After doing passes with the Apart it was shaving hair.

I repeated with the 4k and the 8k and by the time I finished it was shaving well though I found it to be irritating, or raw, if that makes sense. Better after stropping. But it was a quick test with cold water, a little lather, and the blade.


So lessons:

Gold dollars really are cheap. Really.

Gold dollars can get shave sharp. Just maybe not comfortable.

Maybe I'm not so terrible at honing?

My apart hone is pretty low grit.

The GD 66 has a lot of poor characteristics. I know you are cheap, but you could still have considered yourself to be cheap and gone for a GD 208 which is only a few dollars more, but a much better razor with better scales.

There are a number of YouTube videos on honing a Gold Dollar, including the GD 66. You have to fix the shoulder of the blade first so it will sit flat on the stones. Otherwise, you will never get it shave ready. You will probably have some spine wear when you are finished honing, but if you do it right, you can get a decent shave.

Hmm...interesting that your Apart is so coarse. Makes me think perhaps someone abused it a bit along the way. Might be a good candidate for some high grit sand paper love and burnishing to see if you can make it finish properly.

I agree you might have had better luck with a 208. Mine shaves comfortable off the Norton 8K. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have kept it. If the 66 is as chunky as a 208 that might have had something to do with it. My 208 is about the heaviest razor I've got, and if I'm not mindful of that it's easy to end up using a bit more pressure while shaving than I might with any other blade.

They can shave, and comfortably. Just might take a teeny bit more work than a good vintage or (much) more pricey new manufacture razor.

I didn't realize the 208s were better when I ordered. I discovered that the 66s were known for being especially horrible about a month after I ordered.

As far as the shoulder, I intend to remove material soon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marshal

Hmm...interesting that your Apart is so coarse. Makes me think perhaps someone abused it a bit along the way. Might be a good candidate for some high grit sand paper love and burnishing to see if you can make it finish properly.

I agree you might have had better luck with a 208. Mine shaves comfortable off the Norton 8K. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have kept it. If the 66 is as chunky as a 208 that might have had something to do with it. My 208 is about the heaviest razor I've got, and if I'm not mindful of that it's easy to end up using a bit more pressure while shaving than I might with any other blade.

They can shave, and comfortably. Just might take a teeny bit more work than a good vintage or (much) more pricey new manufacture razor.

---

Yeah I thught so too. I'm going to be sending it and this razor, and a few of my other antique razors, off to utopian for his opinion on them. I'd like to see, again, if maybe I'm more of the problem than the apart.

I had won a GD66. It was fixed and honed up for me by a honemiester. Ive used it twice now and get great shaves from it. Twice. Ive read the edge dont last on them if you get one shave ready. I plan on customizing mine when i get a chance so i can learn how to cut out thumb notches and work over the tip to another shape.

Good luck on your GD. You got to fix it. Then it gets better, but a used low cost old razor would have been a better deal in the long run.

Utopian will fix you up! And we all learn from our mistakes. Well for me it might take twice to learn. Ha.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gasman

I had won a GD66. It was fixed and honed up for me by a honemiester. Ive used it twice now and get great shaves from it. Twice. Ive read the edge dont last on them if you get one shave ready. I plan on customizing mine when i get a chance so i can learn how to cut out thumb notches and work over the tip to another shape.

Good luck on your GD. You got to fix it. Then it gets better, but a used low cost old razor would have been a better deal in the long run.

Utopian will fix you up! And we all learn from our mistakes. Well for me it might take twice to learn. Ha.

---

I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't already have a few good ones...This was a little experiment.

I'm hoping utopian can give me some perspective on my honing technique and stuff. ;-)

I don't think the 66 is "horrible". After reading this thread I found my old Gold Dollar to see what model it was. It is a 66. I remembered that I had corrected the shoulder issue.

I had it in homemade scales (spalted maple) that I made too thick so I never liked to use this razor. Today I found some spare plastic scales and put the 66 in those scales and honed it with my standard hones (including a new "ocean blue" hone) and shaved with it.

It shaves as well as my other razors.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gcbryan

I don't think the 66 is "horrible".

---

Yup. That's a great recommendation for the GD (double entendre intended) razor.

I shaved with it tonight. With the grain it did quite well and shaved comfortably. It wasn't as smooth as my good razors, but it was far from a bad shave. I decided to go XTG - I don't do XTG or ATG often and I predicted irritation.

It got quite close, but, as expected, I experienced some irritation. Probably means I should have spent more time on the hones.

My opinion of it at this time is that it is a 'good enough' razor for light use, depending on how that edge holds up.

It is far from the likes of a W&B. no comparison at all.