Dovo Factory Edge

I just received a new dovo best quality 5/8, and have a question about the edge on this thing.

It is from the factory and not hand honed, and I know it is my first straight but I doubt it should pull as much as it does. Don't get me wrong, the thing shaves but nowhere near as close as I would like, and feels like it's tugging the hair. I've heard that dovo don't produce shave ready blades from the factory, so I'm looking at sorting the situation.

I can send it back to the site I bought it from to be honed, but my question is would I be able to finish the edge with chromium oxide or similar paste, given that the blade is already sharp enough to shave my beard?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

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Originally Posted by JimmyWils

I just received a new dovo best quality 5/8, and have a question about the edge on this thing.

It is from the factory and not hand honed, and I know it is my first straight but I doubt it should pull as much as it does. Don't get me wrong, the thing shaves but nowhere near as close as I would like, and feels like it's tugging the hair. I've heard that dovo don't produce shave ready blades from the factory, so I'm looking at sorting the situation.

I can send it back to the site I bought it from to be honed, but my question is would I be able to finish the edge with chromium oxide or similar paste, given that the blade is already sharp enough to shave my beard?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

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I would definitely give that a shot. It's sharp your just looking to "finish" it and some passes with chromium followed up with some clean leather stropping should be the "icing on the cake". I just picked up a Dovo and walked it through that exact process. Perfecto!

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Originally Posted by biskitzngravy

I would definitely give that a shot. It's sharp your just looking to "finish" it and some passes with chromium followed up with some clean leather stropping should be the "icing on the cake". I just picked up a Dovo and walked it through that exact process. Perfecto!

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Great, thanks. I'll definitely give it a try, as it's the difference between £30 for a honing and about £4/5 for some crox!

Welcome to SRP. It won't hurt anything to try the crom-ox. It may improve the razor enough to perform satisfactorily, and if it doesn't having the crom-ox for using later will be a good thing if you stick with this sport. :gl:

I'm new to straights as well, and have a Dovo that was professionally honed. I'd suggest sending it to be honed professionally, so that you're starting out on the right foot. This way, you have the blade the best that it can be, and can then spend time focusing on the shaving and stropping technique.

There's so much to learn, and, IMHO, it's best to reduce the number of variables.

I just bought honing stones, and plan on reading, and practicing with them, before I hopefully need to actually sharpen my razors. I also picked up a second razor off the classifieds, and it is also shave ready, so I have a backup, for when I send out the first one for honing (it has a coupon for a free sharpening).

Others can chime in, but they are likely several people and vendors in the group that can do a great honing job.

+1 I don't think any manufacturers have a true shave ready finish
But if the site offered pro hone it should have come that way, but if it is an extra this could be a new user oversiight that can be expected
Get it honed right, remove the variable of edge condition so you only need to learn to strop and shave and lather this is enough for a start
Plenty of lads in the UK that can hone very well if easier than returning to the vendor possibly

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimmyWils

I just received a new dovo best quality 5/8, and have a question about the edge on this thing.

It is from the factory and not hand honed, and I know it is my first straight but I doubt it should pull as much as it does. Don't get me wrong, the thing shaves but nowhere near as close as I would like, and feels like it's tugging the hair. I've heard that dovo don't produce shave ready blades from the factory, so I'm looking at sorting the situation.

I can send it back to the site I bought it from to be honed, but my question is would I be able to finish the edge with chromium oxide or similar paste, given that the blade is already sharp enough to shave my beard?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

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What are you applying the CrOx to?
I am a fan of CrOx on a flat balsa strop or lightly spare leather strop.
It is a bit aggressive (abrasive) so you want the "good stuff" that
is mostly at the 0.5 micron grade.

If you have access to a honemaster via post without customs
interaction you will find that it is less expensive than buying a
stack of hones. Once a good razor has been correctly honed
it is possible to maintain it for a long time with a single hone
in the 8k-12k grit range or for many a CrOx loaded strop...

Try CrOx but plan to send it out once.

Edit: Historically factory edges were terrible. Vendors noted
the "buzz" and have improved their edges but honemasters
today still have an edge on the factory. (Pun intended ;) )

I've been straight razor shaving for 15 months. I've been practicing honing and stropping in that time also. Based on what I've gone through you may dull to the edge with a strop right now. I dulled a shave ready razor when I shaved with it and then stropped it. That was 14 months ago. Stropping is a skill that will take a while to get the hang of. You may have good luck with the cro-ox so that's a good idea. If it doesn't work you can then send it for honing. At least you would have tried and if you do make things worse the honer will fix it. I got a Dovo from SRD a couple months ago and Lynn hones all of them. I was amazed at how sharp it was compared to using the razors I had been honing myself. I believe the best thing for a newbie to do is to know what a shave ready razor feels like. I only got one good shave out of the razor I bought at first due to my poor stropping skills. The Dovo I got from SRD is still shaving great and I've been stropping it with a kangaroo strop between every shave and a few sessions on a webbing strop with .5 micron diamond spray on it.

I am a newbie too but things are finally working really well. I'm still "newbie" enough to remember the frustration like it was yesterday. Cuz it was! :) I wish you luck. Please report back.

Jack

Here is something to read about this exact question

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...tml#post908878

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Originally Posted by JimmyWils

Great, thanks. I'll definitely give it a try, as it's the difference between £30 for a honing and about £4/5 for some crox!

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The difference may also be in how long the CrO edge lasts vs a hone if the bevel has not been set properly.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Here is something to read about this exact question

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...tml#post908878

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Great read. What is a scything stroke?

Jack

Strop was just a disstraction for me.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...w-out-box.html

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Originally Posted by Jack0458

Great read. What is a scything stroke?

Jack

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Well, you have two options.

You can read THIS thread, or just see the graphic in post 44 within it. In a nutshell a scything stroke is like the slicing of a tomato.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Well, you have two options.

You can read THIS thread, or just see the graphic in post 44 within it. In a nutshell a scything stroke is like the slicing of a tomato.

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Thank you. This is very interesting. And I already thought it was complicated! :) WTG, ATG, XTG, and now this? I'm pretty sure I "understand" everything but incorporating that into shaving a face with hills, mountains, valleys, etc. is a feat I didn't see coming. I'm having a hard enough time figuring out the grain direction and getting the razor angled and moving in the correct direction without the toe or heel cutting some spot I'm not even shaving. :)

I got an old, used razor with a 2.5" blade on ebay and I've actually gotten it shaving me. The shorter blade seems like it would make all this easier to accomplish. How about a 2" blade? Maybe having two razors every time we shave for different areas of the face and neck? :idea: :)

Jack

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Originally Posted by Utopian

In a nutshell a scything stroke is like the slicing of a tomato.

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Just so long as your face isn't the tomato....:dropjaw:

I had the same Dovo as my first razor, and I would concur with much of what has been said about them. Mine was no where near shave ready. As a newbie, I was not skilled enough to fix it with CrOx pasted webbing strop. I took mine to a 10K stone. This made the edge 100 times smoother and more comfortable. But, after resetting the bevel, then taking it through the progression ending at the 10K, then it was a razor. My advice, get it honed or hone it yourself if you have the stones. Keep in mind that that advise is free, and many times you get what you pay for.