Thread: Gold Dollar razors

Originally Posted by Christel

How may vintage American razors sell for $4.17 with any regularity? (That aren't requiring a ton of restoration) because that's how much a Gold Dollar can be had for as a Buy it Now price.

I don't wish to be argumentative and the issues you raise are salient to be sure - but costing less than $5 is their saving grace, IMHO.

Its a fair point... though a good "American" or rather European or Japanese blade usually can be turned into a shaver... A Gold Dollar will at best be a tinny shave if you indeed get her to run lol .

Originally Posted by earcutter

Its a fair point... though a good "American" or rather European or Japanese blade usually can be turned into a shaver... A Gold Dollar will at best be a tinny shave if you indeed get her to run lol .

With respect, is this last point in any way empirical and/or from personal experience?

At no point have I advocated a Gold Dollar razor to a beginner, where did you get this from? I simply said that they aren't necessarily to be avoided - I feel that I quantified this by giving the reason of their very cheap price, as well as adding the caveat that they often come with problems. Are they not very cheap and often affected by manufacturing inconsistencies? I feel I gave both aspects a fair portrayal in my post.

Originally Posted by Neckbone

GD razors are made in China. Are they to be avoided?

See what you started? Haha. The point has been made that it is heresay to avoid them and promote avoiding them based on what others say rather than ones own experience. However if you search through the years of posts on these razors and note who it is that says what, then you get a sense of the issues. When members here have a reputation for detail, insight and vast experience their words carry weight. If you have zero experience with pakistan or chinese made razors, by all means spend the little $ and test it out for yourself. You can then add to this already dead issue. For some its not worth the time to investigate. I personally have experience from picking up various less suitable razor brands in lots I've bought. I know it is not worth my time investment regardless of $ savings. I will also say I just thus week have picked up several american and english razors needing less work to make shave ready for $5-10 each. The geometry on all of them is already sound. But again, is your time worth the hands on knowledge vs the years of experience from highly respected senior members? If so, don't avoid it, buy one and throw it out with the old bic disposables when done investigating!

Originally Posted by WetShaveObsession

This is strictly my opinion based on my experience. You can get a shave ready Gold Dollar from a gentleman named Jeff Pratt on Ebay for $15 or so, give or take. The gold dollar 66- 99% of the time has issues out of the box and they all have the issues with the shoulder extending down far or sticking up high making them more difficult to hone.
Now these issues can be fixed. The ones this guy sells the spine has been made straight or even (the first thing that needs done on these is that imo). The shoulder issue has been resolved and the razor has been very well honed and is truly shave ready.
So for $15 you get a shave ready straight that will last you enough shaves with little attention for you to know if this is something you wish to pursue. If is is, thats great. Now you can purchase another razor and you have your gold dollar to practice your stropping your honing etc on. No big loss if you screw up your $15 investment. Also if you can become proficient at honing this properly and making and keeping it shave ready you are ahead of the curve as far as those skills go IMO.
It is how I started and to this day I have that Gold Dollar, it is shave ready and I could pull it out today and use it. I also have about 8 left out of 10 I picked up for the unbelievable price of around $3.44 a piece. I have modified the shank on one just for fun and gotten it totally shave ready. The other (first one I ever messed with) I ruined due to a slip out of the hand when grinding down the shoulder.
Gold Dollars have done more than any other razor for me as far as sharpening (no pun intended) the skills necessary to hone, maintain, and even do a bit of modification on straights.
I think for $15 that Shave Ready Gold Dollar could be the best $15 I have spent as it relates to this hobby. Again that is just for me and my opinion.
Also I have heard mention of not wanting to buy a razor you need to work on before you can even use it. That is true but you can so inexpensively buy one where that work has been done it really is a non issue IMO. Also how many vintage straights are purchased where nothing must be done to them? Sure I see many that look like they can just be honed and used etc but the reality is having quite the stockpile of vintage razors I am working through and restoring if you really want them to be right most need some work, even the ones that appeared like they wouldn't. Very few have a blade edge that runs parallel with the spine, there is a frown or a high spot or something that should be fixed so it can be properly honed and so on.
My thought are its a good inexpensive starting point for someone that wants to try a straight or for someone that wants to pick up some razors and play around with them a bit. Do some modifications etc. If nothing else you will gains experience and what potentially be out $4. Money well spent. I think they have their place, I see nothing wrong with getting one. Id recommend if your new to this you get one like I mentioned. Issues resolved, shave ready. I am not sorry I did.

I couldn't agree more. In fact that's exactly what I did. I ordered one from Mr Pratt and two untouched ones from another vendor. These will not be replacing my nicer more expensive professionally honed everyday shavers. But these will be my honing /stropping practice razors. His (Mr Pratt's) will be my guide line as to what I need to do to get them to that point. I have almost no experience shaving with a straight and none honing one but I know I'm not gonna ruin my good ones through beginner ineptness on my part ! So they do have a place at my house for now.

Originally Posted by Christel

With respect, is this last point in any way empirical and/or from personal experience?

At no point have I advocated a Gold Dollar razor to a beginner, where did you get this from? I simply said that they aren't necessarily to be avoided - I feel that I quantified this by giving the reason of their very cheap price, as well as adding the caveat that they often come with problems. Are they not very cheap and often affected by manufacturing inconsistencies? I feel I gave both aspects a fair portrayal in my post.

Whoh!! I never said anything about noobs in response to your post lol!! Matter a fact I said you had a point with respect to cost lol!!

As for empirical evidence... Dude!! I don't know of any scientific body taking on the issue of a smooth shave Via a straight lol! Seriously! If there was... Gillette bought the findings bahahaha!!!

Originally Posted by silverloaf

I personally have experience from picking up various less suitable razor brands in lots I've bought. I know it is not worth my time investment regardless of $ savings. I will also say I just thus week have picked up several american and english razors needing less work to make shave ready for $5-10 each. The geometry on all of them is already sound. But again, is your time worth the hands on knowledge vs the years of experience from highly respected senior members? If so, don't avoid it, buy one and throw it out with the old bic disposables when done investigating!

The tone of your post is very confident considering you don't have personal experience with the razors in question and are basing it upon hearsay (Unless I have misread you post).

You may have picked up those razors without problems (For prices all exceeding the Gold Dollar razors) and likewise, some of the Gold Dollar razors are going to inevitably come with decent grinds according to the law of averages - this doesn't prove of disprove anything.

I don't even like the Gold Dollar very much but some of the arguments against them in this thread have been (I'm sorry, no offense meant) unconvincing to say the least.

Originally Posted by earcutter

Whoh!! I never said anything about noobs in response to your post lol!! Matter a fact I said you had a point with respect to cost lol!!

As for empirical evidence... Dude!! I don't know of any scientific body taking on the issue of a smooth shave Via a straight lol! Seriously! If there was... Gillette bought the findings bahahaha!!!

Dude, yes you did!

"But that's the thing!! How many new guys would even know what to fix?? Sure you can get an OK shave after fixing... But if you've never had a good straight or honed, how would you know what you are missing or what to fix?"

You definitely did buddy!

Ok, we'll drop the empirical part, it was silly on my behalf. Do you have personal experience of them? I'm not calling you out but you kinda made a strong statement and I wondered whether this was based upon your own experience or hearsay. Please don't feel I'm attacking you, I'm really not.

You know, As you speak to Silverloaf in that manner, you know not of his extensive experience.
You have simply started another gold dollar thread. There are many. They are all the same.
This does not contribute to the forum. If your goal is to clog our pages about Gold Dollars, do a favor. Just chime in on one of the other many threads instead of starting your own dead end thread. JMHO

Damnit, I sense I may have neglected the teachings of How to Make Friends and Influence People in this thread!

It wasn't my intention to cause offense or be abrasive to other members - and I apologise if anything I have said came out this way.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

You know, As you speak to Silverloaf in that manner, you know not of his extensive experience.
You have simply started another gold dollar thread. There are many. They are all the same.
This does not contribute to the forum. If your goal is to clog our pages about Gold Dollars, do a favor. Just chime in on one of the other many threads instead of starting your own dead end thread. JMHO

You are right, I don't - that's why I asked him what his experience of them was. I don't feel my manner was rude and I'm sorry if it was - it wasn't my intention.

This isn't my thread and nor had I any nefarious intentions - I apologise if this has been the result.