Thread: Dovo Best Quality 6/8 vs Dovo Bismarck

Besides the difference in hollow-ness (half vs full), are there any other difference when it comes to the result/performance of shaving? I already own a Dovo Best Quality 6/8" and am considering purchasing a Bismarck.

Thanks,

The Bismarck by Dovo is pretty good.

The gold wash is nice, generally flaw free, and the razor doesn't suffer from been easy to corrode.

The razor as a rule should be honed with 1 layer of tape, and it should be stropped with 1 layer of tape.

This is because the spine work can be a little rough, and the spine work may damage a strop if you use a bit too much pressure.

As for shaving the Bismarck is a well loved model. It has clean lines, and shaves well provided it is honed correctly and stropped with due care. The razor is well balanced and a little on the heavy side, This makes the shave effortless if you have a good edge. The grind is where the weight comes from, and the scales are balanced to account for the weight.

The other models to look at if your thinking about a Bismarck are.

The dovo "la forme". It's the same blade, without the gold wash. And with a different scale design.




I personally own a Bismarck, I own several actually, 1 dovo, and 3 vintage Arthur Muller models. At the price point for the Dovo you get a lot of bling for the money, and the razor looks superb. It's a real eye catcher and would easily find a place in your collection.

Here are some of my razors.

A sharp blade in experienced hands will deliver a quality shave regardless of grind,
The feed back is different and this is where the personal preference comes into play.
Certain steel's take a refined edge differently but the Newer Dovo's steel should be very consistent.
I enjoy each of the grind styles for what they are, I go on jaunts and switch up my preferred grind quite a bit,
lately it has been a Bergischer Lowe (full hollow) before that it was an extra hollow,
that said weather a wedge,1/4, 1/2, full or extra hollow I get a close and comfortable shave off them all.

I agree with pfries, I own 4 blades each having a different grind, and I enjoy them all. Having said that, I do think it is easier to hone an extra hollow versus a heavier grind.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

I agree with pfries, I own 4 blades each having a different grind, and I enjoy them all. Having said that, I do think it is easier to hone an extra hollow versus a heavier grind.

Less steel to remove, however I have found the heavier grinds will tolerate more pressure in the early stages of honing i.e. setting the bevel and then a few extra lighter laps to help with the striations from the heavy hand on the lower grit.

The Bismarck is a fine razor but it does have its quirks. As Iceni mentioned, I strop it with a layer of tape because the spine will scratch the hell out of my strop if left bare. As well, due to the triangular shape of the spine stropping it can be a bit tricky. You need to make a concerted effort to "torque" the edge into the strop during a lap otherwise the edge might not make effective contact with the leather.

If you are confident in your stropping skills go for the Bismarck, otherwise the Dovo BQ might be a better choice.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

The Bismarck is a fine razor but it does have its quirks. As Iceni mentioned, I strop it with a layer of tape because the spine will scratch the hell out of my strop if left bare. As well, due to the triangular shape of the spine stropping it can be a bit tricky. You need to make a concerted effort to "torque" the edge into the strop during a lap otherwise the edge might not make effective contact with the leather.

If you are confident in your stropping skills go for the Bismarck, otherwise the Dovo BQ might be a better choice.

Thank you all for all the response! I was looking at the picture of a Bismarck and it seems like the spine is a triangular shaped spine with some "cuts" on the top of the spine. http://www.royalshave.com/mm5/graphi...y-handle_2.jpg

If you flip the Bismarck in mid-air when you turn it during stropping, do you really still have to use a layer of tape (it seems like as long as the "cuts" do not touch the strop, it wouldn't damage it)? If so, wouldn't it become tedious to try to put a layer to tape every single time you strop?

Lastly, I know that people use electrical tape during honing. What type of tape do you use for stropping?

The shoulderless design of the Bismarck is beautiful and practical, allowing for unobstructed honing angles. I have both, but I reach more often for the mighty Bismarck.

? The spine is perfectly smooth where it contacts the strop. I have never had a problem with the spine damaging the strop.

Originally Posted by spacex

Lastly, I know that people use electrical tape during honing. What type of tape do you use for stropping?

It doesn't have to be electrical tape for stropping. I use clear Scotch tape. I could see it being a PITA if it was your only razor and you had to tape it every time, but it's not really a chore when the Bismarck is part of a rotation and gets occasional use.

Originally Posted by Gammaray

The spine is perfectly smooth where it contacts the strop. I have never had a problem with the spine damaging the strop.

Over the years I've heard that some guys have problems and others don't which is enough to tell me that not all Bismarcks are created equal. All I know is that the file lines on mine are not smooth and it most definitely scratches my strop if it's not taped. YMMV.