Vintage Straight Rozor versus Gold Dollar Shave ready

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Originally Posted by jrudd

Hello all,

I am new to straight razor shaving and this forum. I have shaved about 7 times so far with a Gold Dollar Straight Razor and getting better every time.

With that said, I have a few questions and I apologize in advance if I am posting in the wrong area or am rambling on, I will try to keep thing concise and understandable

1st: What are your thoughts on the Gold Dollar straight razor? It came in a beginners kit with a cheap synthetic brush which I replaced with a badger brush, a cheap synthetic strop which I am going to replace soon, and The Blades Grim shaving soap and have plans of purchasing different soaps and tubes of cream to experiment.

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Use the search function for the term "Gold Dollar" the results will give a very good idea what the general consensus of on those blades.

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2nd: I am learning to be patient when shaving but I can't get around the feeling that if I were to purchase a better quality razor and equipment I would get a better quality shave.

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Trust your feeling, it is there for a reason.
Vintage razor from the classifieds will meet your needs. You will also need a quality strop if you do not have one already.

Welcome to SRP. I can't speak to the gold dollar, I've never had one. Vintage razors were mostly made for pro barbers in the last century, and they had to be good.

Condition is naturally important, and the razor being honed to shave ready. New razors, by Dovo, Aust, Boker, Theirs-Issard and others, are fine tools for shaving ........ again, if properly honed.

I've had good performance from both vintage and current production razors.

Unless you are proficient in honing a straight razor I'd stay away from eBay. You are better off getting something 'shave ready' from Straight Razor Designs or the classifieds here on SRP because the razors will be shave ready by professionals. The factory edge on most modern production razors claim to be shave ready but rarely are, the edge needs the touch of someone who shaves with a straight razor.

Good luck on your straight razor journey............Happy Shaving!

A round point is generally safer for beginners than most other types.
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Good advice for a beginner bongo!

You are less likely to nick your neck with a round point, I learned the hard way as many others did starting out. I used a square point several times when I first started and nick my neck several time before figuring out how not to.

I don't have a Gold Dollar but do have an older Double Arrow, it can be made to shave well and I use it once in awhile but the edge doesn't seem to hold up like a vintage razor. When you get your shaving up to speed as well as your stropping you won't be sorry if you buy a nice vintage razor from here (classifieds) or a reputable dealer

You are getting good advice. If you are new, you can get a shave ready vintage razor in the classifieds. Also, Whipped Dog has inexpensive vintage shave ready straight razors. Not beautiful, but they shave. I've had good experiences both with razors from the classifieds and Whipped Dog.

Gold Dollars can be made to shave OK but I'd take a nice vintage straight over one every time.

Any one can learn from their mistakes. You are steps ahead if you can learn from other peoples mistakes.
My mistakes? A couple straights I could do without because they really aren't worth restoring.
I haven't purchased a new modern straight razor, kind of out of my price range. I have spent near two hundred bucks over several months buying vintage razors. Now that I've calmed down and look at the unit before I rashly purchase I've got some nice ones. Just got a Clauss for $10. Paid twenty for a Morley, my aunt gave me a Wade & Butcher. Couple D.E. razors for dirt cheap - a 1959 Gillette FatBoy.
My point is that if you get a razor that IS shave ready your foot's in the door. Next thing you know you need storage space for soaps, cremes, aftershaves, brushes. And multiple razors. If you are enjoying your straight, start reading up about how to use your strop. And open your mind to honing. At some point you'll have a Not Shave Ready that you will want to attempt sharpening.
My first shave ready was a WhippedDog. It's not pretty, but for a hundred year old tool it still works well.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I have the Gold dollar already and through ignorance, I am sure, it has lost its razor sharp edge. My plan, if its worth it, is to go ahead and get the Ralf Aust Solingen 5/8ths black for just over $100 and send in the gold dollar for re-honing to put up for spare. The Gold Dollar came in a kit, which included a blunt, dull practice razor along with the cheap, worthless synthetic strop. I have ordered a new 3" leather strop from here and when I receive it I will practice my technique of stropping with the dull gold dollar.

Will it be worth the cost and time to send in the Gold dollar for re-honing or should I scrap it and look at getting a second good razor from here to keep as spare?

Thanks again!

Much of the chatter in forums is comparing razors, or other gear. If you own two straights, and both are really shave ready, you can have an informed opinion. I've heard GD's vary in quality, but can be honed into shape, mostly. The gear sold by members has a better chance of being acceptable quality, because of Peer Review.
Good luck with your new to you razor!

Use whatever makes you happy and what you can afford.

Truth is that properly honed a GD or a vintage is capable of giving you a great shaving edge. I have both as well as expensive modern and pristine restored 170 YO razors and each gives me satisfaction to use.

If you have the budget: use the GD to learn to hone yourself and pick up another, shave ready, blade. The steel on mine holds an edge well once I get it there and the chunky grind (~half hollow) is relatively stable if you use too much pressure honing.

I started with the exact same kit. It was OK but once I got a good razor and strop and brush my enjoyment level rose.

You'll find this out.

My vote = Vintage Straight

I would keep the GD to practice your honing skills when you start doing that. I would not send it out for honing.

Learning to hone on a Gold Dollar is like learning to drive with a car missing a tire.

Learn on a razor with proper geometry and HT, aka a vintage in decent shape, and you will save yourself a lot of unneeded stress.

I'd say learning to hone with a Gold Dollar is more akin to learning how to repair a car starting with a 15 year old clunker (like I'm sure most of us did). Which is good because you'll need practice, and that razor will give you lots of it.

That said, I have a Gold Dollar, and a vintage. I will probably buy more vintage razors, I will never buy another Gold Dollar.