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As the title says I’m looking for a few New identical straight razors. To test a few finishing hones.
Nothing cheap, Nor do I want it to cost an arm and a leg.
Above all I want a steel with consistent quality.
This way I will have the same baseline, and can finish and test two or three blades at once.
I know I can pick up a few Dovos for $75 apiece, but I am clueless as to what kind of quality blades are available for more or less money.
Any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Dave
You could look at Revisor razors https://www.revisor-solingen.de/index.php/en/razors and select a new plain Jane 6/8 blade of their own making https://www.revisor-solingen.de/inde.../6-0029-detail or a 3 pack of vintage blades https://www.revisor-solingen.de/inde...ors/p-2-detail . Remember the price listed includes the German VAT which, iirc, is about 18% which you won't pay. That comes close to paying for the shipping.
Bob
You could roll the dice with a couple Dovo. Even if they have issues, they can be made to shave.
Or pick up a couple of Union Spikes. They are great American Steel made during the heyday of the Little Valley razors and can be purchased for under $25 in good condition, (requiring some clean up) or spend up to $50 for a pristine example. At those prices you could get 3 or 4.
Stay away from the Green translucent Gold Spike, they are notorious for Cell Rot.
There are 28 Union Spikes on eBay right now. Spikes were also made by other companies.
Great shavers, easy to hone. (shoulder less) and they are all alike in steel and performance. For new honers they are great razors to learn to hone on and are not expensive.
If you want to spend a few dollars more for lifetime keepers, look at a couple of Case Red Imps. The 132 shoulder less is very much like a Union Spike shoulder less, but with Case quality. Most have dull red scales but the steel and grind quality are first rate. Usually in the $50-100 price range, but occasionally under $20. Super shavers.
There are 12 on eBay now.
Second the Union Spike. It is easy to accumulate several in approximately the same stage of wear, and they go pretty cheap. Nice razors, too. My second favorite production razor, after the Bismarck (Dovo and the pre-Dovo of the same pattern). They are nimble shavers, straight edge, simple to hone. Just watch out for that notorious point when you shave with one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
Entry level Dovo razors can be far from identical. I wouldn't use them for a benchmark. If you step up to the Silver Steel or Bismarck or other midrange blade, yeah you can get consistency, at a price. The recent production Gold Dollar 66 razors would work. Even better, the 1996 or the nearly identical W62. I know you said good quality, but they are fairly consistent in grind these days, and the steel is and for a good many years has been fairly good. It will get your hand in the game cheap. You could expand your sample group to 20 and get the 20 of the #66 on fleabay for $74 shipped. I would give you my favorite seller's user name but not sure if that is allowed here. The 1996, W62, or the classic models at 200 and above will be ground better, with the edge and spine in much better alignment. i.e., not twisted or warped. If you want Solingen steel, Revisor's plane Jane 5/8 razors would fill the bill at a little more than entry Dovo price, but less than Dovo midrange price. More consistent grinding than the GD66 of course. I would avoid ZY, Titan, etc due to the large bevel angles being outside the standard range. The GD66 is a little fat, too, actually, but not so much as the others. I think you want something that hones and handles in sort of a mainstream manner, right?
I think your best option would be the Union Spike. Price is nice, steel is nice, grind is dead consistent, easy to hone, and when you are done experimenting you have some nice shavers that didn't cost much.
Thanks for the advice gents.
The time you’ve taken to answer this post is appreciated.
After spending some time looking on eBay. I did edit my original post to include new.
If I could find a clean seven day set of red imps or union spikes on eBay I’d be all over it, however I’m not finding it.
I’m just not interested in buying mismatched antique razors at this point in time. Maybe in the future.
Right now I want to focus on the edge, and if there’s the slightest blemish on a any part of the razor, including the scales, that will take my focus away from what I’m looking to do. I’m trying to focus on what kind of edge the hones (and myself) are producing.
I may end up going the GD route, but I was looking for a better quality razor that will hold a good edge for a while.
Something I would be proud to give, and you would be happy to receive as a gift.
Heljestrand razors. Easy to hone, there's many of them around.
If you want unblemished that’s a quite restrictive criterion, and is going to add a lot of $ to acquire multiple unblemished conventional razors. Really good cosmetics are also an unnecessary expense for test razors.
You can always try the Gold Dollar route, the 66s have actually been decent recently, and the Gold Monkeys I’ve gotten recently have honed up without excessive spine wear - for a Gold Dollar. If you decide that they aren’t floating your boat, you’re not out much. Hone them up and pif them with the usual admonitions. Having multiple consistent test razors are the primary reason that I fool with them, and I always have a couple in checked baggage for air travel. If you’ve never honed one from scratch, plan on it taking a while until you learn how to deal with them. Once they’re properly honed one time, you’re good to go. Don’t plan on all of them being usable, or at least easily usable, if you want 5, buy 8 and sideline the 2-3 worst of the batch.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lund-Antiqu...x/114037382770
This might be an option.
A matched set of vintage ivory scaled razors in a dresser case used for test razors? Just NO!
I think that is a wonderful option given that the OP needs something to test finishers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonbow
I assume he can hone in this regard.
Gold Dollars would be a bad choice to test finishers, IMO. Steel is crap......
Probably not everyone's taste here, but you could buy a dozen Gold Dollar razors and then chuck the bad ones and use the good ones.
It's easier if you don't want new razors or such, because there are enough vintage solingen razors to go about.
I have to say, I have bought quite a few of the NOS Herder razors that are being sold on EBay. There seems to be no end in sight. They often go as inexpensive as $60 blade only, for perfectly ground, perfectly hardened steel with great consistency.
Thanks for the effort!Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonbow
They would have been perfect and well within the price range, but I blew it. I worked late last night, didn’t get back on the forum early enough, and when I checked eBay, they had already been sold.
As Sharptonn says, i’m not looking to put them on bevel setters unless needed. Hard Arkansas, Hard Jnats, Zulu Grey, and Couple of 15 K and above synthetics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve56
You are correct, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Very interesting option.Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog