Thread: Dovo Bismarck Confusion

Hi all

I recently bought two Bismarcks from the same vendor (although two different purchases within one week - one on line and one in store). Funnily the two don't look the same. Note the different lines across the spine vs on the sides.



Furthermore, the markings are different:


Does any experienced member know whether those differences are legit?

Maybe this explains why some Bismarck owners complain about scratched strops, whereas others don't.

Thanks for your help!

The original Bismarck razors are great shavers.

Dovo purchased Bismarck, hence the dual name.

Yes, Bismark is a brand that is just a name now that keeps rolling along with the consolidation of razor manufacturing. I have a Dovo Bismark and an earlier Bismark. Although they have similar styling, they are not the same. Even my Dovo Bismark is different than the one you pictured.

Thanks for your answers.

Maybe the thread title is a bit misleading.

I know that Bismarck once was an independent company that has lateron been taken over by Dovo.

The pictures show my two different Bismarcks by DOVO.

However, although they both are (supposed to be) modern DOVOs bought within one week of one another, they are different. And that's what is confusing me.

They both look legit to me, and my guess here is that the bottom razor, with the spine decorations on the side, also with the Dovo logo....implies a newer production razor as the logo is what is seen on most of their other modern production razors and/or on the tin they arrive in. I have the latter (top pictured by you) that I purchased about 1 year ago now...so just looks like some aesthetic changes for a new batch.

Interestingly you may end up liking the reduced spine decoration more...as mine does leave marks on my strop because it wraps all of the way around the spine. A little neatsfoot oil solves the problem, but it looks like the newer production version may help you avoid that altogether.

The newer design might indeed be easier on the strop. Sadly however, it doesn't look quite as good. Still a very nice piece of kit though.

You mentioned a tin... Mine came in good old coffin boxes - both of them.

Strange stuff...

One looks to be a slightly updated version. Nothing sinister. Both legitimate Dovo Bismarck's.

Please check the spines and the bevels right away. Make sure they lay flat. I own a Bismarck, I was unlucky in purchase of mine (new) and without any ordered honing and 'lucky' on the stone to correct it.

A beautiful razor, that's why I bought mine. But mine and some others have had serious quality control problems: bent blades, uneven frowning bevels and uneven hone wear (on new razors!). The ones that did not got outstanding shavers for the price. I just answered a poll that I would PM something like this, but as there's nothing saying your razors are affected and it's a common razor, I felt it different and beneficial for others who may purchase a Bismarck to know what to look out for as well. Mine now corrected is an outstanding shaver and I really enjoy using it! Also: This may be related to the question "Why an updated spine"?

Enjoy

http://straightrazorpalace.com/forge...shi-steel.html

#6

Bruno mentions the effects of file marks in quenching with a particular steel. The steel is different, but so is the semi frequent QC problem I've heard in Bismarcks- warped spine/ frowning edge. I saw this post earlier today and thought of this when I saw the change in spine engravings. If they're done before heat treatment, I could see a plausible explanation as to why the change. As they in the earlier version are more lateral to the blade, and in the later version, they are restrained to being stacked parallel the edge directly on the back of the spine. Therefore if they contracted more rapidly, it would be more like a samurai sword (smiling edge) and a positive than a deleterious effect of a warped axis blade...

But that is only a (weak) theory of mine on the redesign, again, they are different steels. I am asking Bruno to look at this and weigh in on the possibility of this being reason for redesign with his experience.

see even my dodo Bismarck looks different