Thread: Dovo’s honing method

I have been fortunate in that the two new out of the box razors I purchased actually arrived shave ready. In both cases I purchased from a reputable vendor who was also an expert honer who took it as a personal responsibility to make sure that every blade he sold was shave ready to his high standards before it left his shop. Those razors are the standards against which I hold my own honing.

I have heard similar highly satisfied reports of razors purchased from several of the razor artisans whose work we often see and read about on SRP. Not so for many for the razors purchased from current larger-scale manufacturers.

If a manufacturer implies that the razor I bought is shave ready, they should indicate that on the packaging and suggest that it not be honed or stropped before first use. They should have that much confidence in the quality of the blade they have made. If that statement isn’t there, I assume I will have to hone the razor to make it shave ready.

Let’s be real about the nature of the commentary about edges coming from SRP members. We do have real experts here and they do have very high standards against which mass-produced razors might not fully measure up.

A note on how this conversation seems to be progressing as I get the feeling some folks are getting a bit exercised by some of the comments: please maintain a cordial and inviting level of discussion even when the topics and points of view might be somewhat controversial.

You've all lost me pages ago.

All I want is that razor manufacturers don't deliver finished razors with a frown.

Whatever they do, how they do it, or what's to blame is luckily none of my concern.

I frankly don't accept ANY reason or excuse for a frown in razors.

For me that's the worst mistake you can make in producing a razor and I find it unacceptable.
No one ever would find that acceptable.

That the honing is not up to par, is unfortunate, but I can understand that and find it less troublesome. (unless you make false claims that it is truly shave ready and well honed)

All the other discussion points are far above my head.

Originally Posted by DZEC

A note on how this conversation seems to be progressing as I get the feeling some folks are getting a bit exercised by some of the comments: please maintain a cordial and inviting level of discussion even when the topics and points of view might be somewhat controversial.

This ^^^^

I personally find the thread interesting. Still trying to figure out exactly what is being said, but interesting. Would love to sit down with one of the engineers with paper, pencil, and calculator. I would rather that the thread did not get shut down.

All these posts from razorfranken81 and rasur81 (B&B, closed) do is result in innumerable posts about how bad Solingen grinding is these days. If these posts weren’t made, very little would be said about the poor grinding. If someone really wanted to hurt Solingen razor production and their vendors, they’d post many such comments across the forums and then no one would want to buy Solingen razors.

I think we can easily find common ground in the fact we all enjoy a well produced quality razor. As I see it, a razor provided with a straight edge or a slight smile; certainly not with a frown.
And one that is truly shave ready without functional or practical hindrances created by the manufacturer.

Aside from a well produced razor that is perfectly functional, straight razor shaving is highly subjective. Even the finisher preference varies A LOT between folks and that's something that can easily be worked out by folks themselves. Fundamental problems with the razor can't.

The fact there has been many reports on fundamental issues with modernly produced razors in Solingen is what bothers people, and rightfully so, folks expect better from a town called Solingen and also from a name like Dovo.
As a while ago when I started shaving everybody was recommending entry level Dovo razors.

It sounds idealistic, but often times fundamental perfection gets lost in modern day times due to a variety of reasons; which is eventually a sad thing.
We are no doubt a nostalgic bunch that admire the art of straight razors, etc. And since we're all on a forum, we're a bit of perfectionists as well, maybe.

I hone a lot of new Dovo and TI razors, the issue is not that they are not precisely ground, they can be repaired easily, properly honed and made to shave well.

The issue is that Dovo and a few trolls claim that they are “Shave Ready”, and they are not. If a new shaver were to receive the razor that Glenn posted photos of, he would be sorely disappointed and likely never learn to shave with that razor.

I once read an article about the problem with cheap, poorly made golf clubs. And that someone trying to learn to play golf with poorly made clubs will just give up on the sport and never learn the difference a quality set of clubs can make.

That Dovo claims their razors are “Shave Ready” hurts your industry more than the imperfect grinding. With hand tools, chisels, plane blades and knives, everyone understands that the end user must hone the tool prior to use, with possibly one or two exceptions, (and you pay for that). There is no expectation of a user ready tool. And every woodworking school first teaches tool preparation and honing before they are taught how to use the tools.

The solution is not high dollar, Precision CNC, in-process laser measuring manufacturing, but their claims. Your industry’s ladder is on the wrong wall and the solution is simple, stop claiming the razors are shave ready, if they are not, or teach your people how to hone.

Clearly the “Honers” at Dovo are not shaving with those razors and the master grinders that do shave with these razors, are not honing the razors.