Thread: Dovo "Special" Tortoise - Best Beginning Straight

It has been a while since I've written here, however I thought i'd would write to say how impressed I am with the Dovo "Special" Tortoise straight that I purchased. I've had this straight for around 2 months now and it has become my main shaver. When I started out i bought a Dovo all Stainless straight. From then I bought a series of second hand straights, from a gold bug, spike, filarmonica, wade-butcher, thiers issard and a few other Sheffield razors.

Out of all the razors I've had this one has impressed me the most. I found it very easy to hone (I'm no professional) and make it extremely sharp and smooth.

I think the build quality is excellent. It has thick attractive handles and is very well balanced on the strop and shaving.

If anyone is starting out I would highly recommend this straight. It's on the cheaper end of the expensive straights I've used and I think it's easily my best performer.

Coincidentally this was my first real straight razor as well. Mine was a "New Old Stock" model made for Trumper, but it looks just like the current models. Mine had a decent factory edge, but it was definitely improved with a proper hone. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done.

I agree, out of the twelve razors I have the two favorites are Dovo from SRD.

I also can't say enough good things about these "lower end" Dovo razors.. I too started with a Best Quality and it didn't take long for RAD to set in. I've been thru and still have a number of vintage and a few new better looking/pricier,etc blades now and I like them all.. I used to tell myself to sell this Dovo but thru use against higher end razors that the Dovo base models are pound for pound in my opinion the best razor you can get at such a low price point.. I've only been asked a couple times to recommend a first straight razor and it's always one of these Dovo's..

I have 3 Dovos. (Special, Bismark and Bergischer Lowe) While the Bis and BL are far more attractive, the Special shaves and holds an edge just as well. All 3 are in my rotation.

Shave on,
D

I think if you buy Dovo razors from a good supplier, i.e. one who carefully inspects and even hones each razor you can't go wrong. However, Dovos bought from non-specialist vendors, chain stores etc may have serious quality issues. In the last 3 weeks I have seen two new base model Dovo 5/8 razors with frowns and heel hooks. Good suppliers will screen these out but those that lack straight razor knowledge don't know what to look for and can sell you a defective blade.

As always, caveat emptor. If you don't know anything about how to check for razor problems, take someone along who does or only buy from good retailers who stand behind their products.