Dovo or TI as "benchmark" razor

Gentlemen,
I’m new to the straight razor hobby, and have been trying to do my research diligently, hanging around this forum for close to two months now, buying Lynn’s DVD, and reading every online and print resource I can get my hands on.

I currently have purchased a NOS Wapi as seen in this forum: http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=13984, as well as a second hand Dovo Best Russian leather strop to get me started. While I understand that the Wapi will in no way be shave ready when it (finally) arrives, I had bought it as a learner straight to get my feet wet to practice stropping and honing.

My question to you fine Gents surrounds the purchase of my “benchmark” straight razor that I will have honed by Lynn. I have been reading up on both the Dovo razors as well as the Thiers-Issard (TI) razors. Recently, a thread on this board mentioned that Dovo were having some quality control issues (http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=14877), while TI’s silver steel requires special honing techniques. With the benefit of your years of experience, and if you had to do it all over again, would you choose a Dovo as your “benchmark” razor, or a TI.

I’m looking for a razor that will last me for years and that I will not outgrow any time soon – I was thinking of purchasing either the TI Silver steel from Classic Shaving (http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...013/564090.htm) or the Dovo Extra Hollow ground "Singing" razor (http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...940/873593.htm).

Any advice, Gentlemen?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Well if I were going to have just one or two razors and thats it and knowing what I do now I would buy either a Maestro or a Williams or a Zowada. Of course those are pricey so in the realm of normal razors TI is superior to Dovo. There are some vintage Dovo's that are the equal of any TI like the fritz Brach and they do come up every now and then on Eboy and from some vendors here. I'm sure other will chime in with other opinions.

I have a both TI and Dovo(NOS and new). My Ti is a Lynn honed and I did my Dovos. My Dovos are both great. My TI is great but my Dovos are the favorites.

I was in very much the same situation when starting down this path a few monthes ago. I resolved it by buying a 6/8 Dovo and a 6/8 TI... Honed both (a couple times over a couple monthes of steady usage), stropped & used each every other day...

I now own 6 TIs which are my daily rotation..... For me, the TI's give a consistently better shave. YMMV.

They are both great razors though and you won't regret either IMO.

Ken

Thank you very much for your feedback - very much appreciated. I think that I may hold off buying a new razor for now and perhaps go the route of buying a shave ready razor from one of the SRP members to get a better idea of what I want before I drop some big bucks.

Thanks again for the good advice and tips.

Mark

An excellent decision, Lynn sells razors from time to time or check with Tilly at http://www.redtrader99.com/straight_razors.html, she has quality shave readies also.