Japanese makers also turned out some wonderful razors, most sized around 13/16 with half-hollow grinds, and there are plenty of them in good condition to be found on eBay.

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to hone and test-shave a recent production Dovo BQ for a new member and was thoroughly dissatisfied on both fronts. Between the poor-quality craftsmanship and steel, the razor met every expectation I had for GDs. I advised the owner to dump the razor on eBay and buy anything vintage instead since he wasn't getting satisfying shaves.

Learning to straight shave with a poorly-made razor just isn't my cup of tea.