Thread: Finally!!

I started about 2 or 3 weeks ago with a brand new DOVO Classic Special and Illinois hanging strop from ClassicShaving, and a DMT D8EE. I had already started honing the DOVO when I noticed that the blade was warped and on one side would not lay flat on the hone. Both ClassicShaving and DOVO vetoed returning the blade for repair/replacement (DOVO said their razors are shave-ready from the factory and don't need to be honed...). So I've been working on it off and on, and have been getting what I'd consider decent shaves with it. It's got major hone wear, with more to come, but I'm making gradual progress on getting the blade to lay flat.

So I bought Wildtim's bench strop/glass-bed hone kit, and some CrO from ChrisL. All I can say is, dang. The glass-bed hone and 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper made setting the bevel on my recently acquired Simmons a piece of cake. Took it to the D8EE and smoothed down the rough edge, then finished on the bench strop with the CrO. All of the sudden a razor that would _maybe_ if I held my mouth just right and picked just the right spot pass the HHT (my DOVO) and a razor that 8 hours ago would maybe cut a hair if I sawed on it (the Simmons) are scaring hairs in pieces just by proximity. Can't wait to shave with them...

So a GREAT BIG thank you to Wildtim and ChrisL for helping a newbie make some good progress.

Thats great! Looks like it'll all be downhill from here. Glad I didn't have that blade.

Classic does have a policy which prevents them from accepting any opened razor, kind of a bummer. But I can understand it very easily.

Congratulations.

Yes, both Dovo and TI state that their razors are shaveready. A shopkeeper in Antwerp is convinced of the same idea. Imo they're full of crap.
But explaining this to the people involved is pointless. They won't listen.

And lots of people have had warped Dovos. Allegedly this is because of the way that they quench their razors during heat treatment.

It's got major hone wear, with more to come, but I'm making gradual progress on getting the blade to lay flat.

I've received some less-than-stellar blades from Dovo with
regards to flatness, and usually I try to work around the
problem rather than flatten them out completely if at all
possible.

Some tricks to try:

- Start honing the blade a little further from the heel
- Use the `rolling hone method'
- Try a narrow stone if you have one
- Use Josh's `edge-honing' method
- Use a 45 angle along with the X-pattern
- Use flatbed hones or strops with paste

While most of the Dovos I've received from the factory have
been nearly shave-ready (requiring only some laps on a polishing
stone such as the Spyderco UF or Escher), some do require a
bit of work. I can't imagine shaving with some of these blades
which have obviously only seen a wheel and perhaps a few hap-
hazard passes on the hone.

- Scott

I am usually of the same opinion, 1. open box, 2. hone razor. I recently received a replacement TI Stamina 6/8. It actually was shave ready out of the box! I couldn't believe it. It still hasn't been to a hone and it is a great shaver. That has never happened before.

If the spine and edge aren't in the same plane then you can also make adjustments with tape on the spine so the edge lays flat. This changes the honing angle a bit, but honing angle isn't really that critical, pretty much anywhere between 15 and 19 degrees is fine. Though it's a bit of a pain if you're one of those guys that needs to rehone every few days. If the blade is actually curved sideways this won't help much...

It's best to check the blade before you start honing on it, and decide if it's worth the effort. The one time I forgot to do this the blade wound up having a sideways "S" curve in it - there's not really any saving that one other than maybe regrinding it to a 4/8. This thread is a timely reminder to me - I've got a new TI coming in this afternoon and now I'm certain to remember to check it first.

Me too on the warped Dovo.

I got mine in the kit from the Well Shaved Gentleman. It came shaving, but when it needed honing, ouch, it was warped.

Honing a smile into the razor usually works. You end up with one side convex and one side flat. Better than one side concave, which cannot be honed.


That is the end of my Dovo purchases. I can get warped razors a lot cheaper on Ebay.

I do have a Col Conk that was around the same price as the Dovo and it did not come warped. It is a primo shaver, actually, much better than the Dovo.

However, I think I get a better deal on ebay razors than these new razors, even though I get burned occasionally.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Congratulations.

Yes, both Dovo and TI state that their razors are shaveready. A shopkeeper in Antwerp is convinced of the same idea. Imo they're full of crap.
But explaining this to the people involved is pointless. They won't listen.

And lots of people have had warped Dovos. Allegedly this is because of the way that they quench their razors during heat treatment.

I finally decided rather than fighting with a TI Super Gnome I bought new and tried to correct warpage on the hones to send it back directly to TI. I still have hope that I'll get something back from them! I sent it to them last month.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Bruno

Congratulations.

Yes, both Dovo and TI state that their razors are shaveready. A shopkeeper in Antwerp is convinced of the same idea. Imo they're full of crap.
But explaining this to the people involved is pointless. They won't listen.

And lots of people have had warped Dovos. Allegedly this is because of the way that they quench their razors during heat treatment.

I've not bought any new Dovo's in the last year or two but FWIW the Dovo's I've had that where I was the first user have been unquestionably shave ready (they felt sharper on my face and smoother than a DE ever thought about). Perhaps I was just lucky? They also weren't warped. I have not had the same luck with TI. I've only gotten two new TI's (and one used one) but while they were close, they weren't ready to shave IMHO. Of course, it could be that TI was going through QC issues at the time and Dovo was not.
It's possible that has changed a bit. For me, if I were a newby, I know it's more of a PITA and a waiting game, but it would almost be worth getting the Dovo unopened and trying it...because if you want you can always send it to Lynn or someone for a honing if you aren't already accomplished at it yourself. I know I've been pretty lucky.


John P.

Yeah, with the 20-20-ness of hindsight, I probably should have checked the flatness when I first opened it. However, since at the time I was unaware of the possibility of a warped razor straight from the factory, I'll chalk it up to a learning experience.

On the bright side, I had my first shave since hitting the CrO strop with the DOVO yesterday, and all I can say is . That was by far the closest, most comfortable 1 1/2 pass shave I've had since I started.