Thread: Modified Gold Dollar

Ok, don't shoot me (jet). First of all I want to state I have zero interest in either promoting or bashing the GD Razor

I've ordered a GD razor honed it up (first time I Honed a razor) and used it for several weeks.

Now what I did is put it under the microscope (100x magnification) and take some picture of the edge right after use (with stropping it).

I took the worse looking part of the edge to clearly show how bad/good it is.

This is the result.





The top of the picture shows the worst and most worn part of the blade and the bottom part shows the overall state of the razor after a shave.

Now I am no expert but that looks pretty fine to me, even at the most worn part of the blade where you can clearly see blemishes on the bevel the cutting edge is still straight and fine.

Now I can only conclude that that is a good thing and I was wondering what my fellow straight shavers think of these pictures and what we can conclude by studying them.

Gr. Skyer

P.S. To give you a more complete idea I've just looked at my 1932 magnetic (great shaver) and it show similar (even slightly worse) "scratches" on the bevel after a shave....

There's very little light on the bevel so it's hard to see anything except a somewhat straight line at the edge with what looks to me like some corrugation at near the res limit of the pics (except for the microchip plainly visible in the second photo)

I don't personally get much from the photos except I think they're cool to look at I am used to looking at bevels in a different light for self-study with my own razors and hones

I do not trust microscope pictures ever since this thread: Same edge, same spot, same magnification, different light... - Straight Razor Place Forums

If it shaves well, that is all that matters though.

I can't see anything on the bevel either; just the "satin finish" on the razor itself. Even if I could see the bevel, I don't really know what I'm looking for anyway.

Hmmz, Didn't know these images could differ so much in different lighting. This is the same microscope Lynn uses for inspecting his edges (that is why I bought it).

I do get the point though, just wanted to see what you guys think.

@hoglahoo: What is corrugation?

if you like to show edge to rest of the people how it looks like please make pictures of the edge not the bevel.
Bevel doesn't tell whole a lot.
in the other hand lightening plays a big role on microscopic view too.
Thank you for the bevel pics. Keep it going.

Originally Posted by TheSkyer

Ok, don't shoot me (jet). First of all I want to state I have zero interest in either promoting or bashing the GD Razor

Now I can only conclude that that is a good thing and I was wondering what my fellow straight shavers think of these pictures and what we can conclude by studying them.

P.S. To give you a more complete idea I've just looked at my 1932 magnetic (great shaver) and it show similar (even slightly worse) "scratches" on the bevel after a shave....

When you say scratches and blemishes on the bevel, but the cutting edge is ok, what are you calling the bevel? Are you doing a double bevel, leaving blemishes on the first bevel, then finishing with a microbevel by adding tape to the spine, or are you talking about the factory bevel that isn't being completely honed due to poor grinding on the GD's? i just ask to be comprehensive, as it is now, I can't honestly see the edge very well.


To answer your question, I don't think anything can be concluded from the pictures other than I don't see any major chips. I may see a small chip near the bottom of the pic, but it's hard to tell.

The lighting isn't really giving a good look at the edge. Regardless, we still wouldn't be able to tell how smooth a shaver it is. My edges after a BBW look nice and straight with no blemishes, but it isn't as smooth a shaving edge as my coticule produces. (call me crazy, but the coticule actually looks like a bit less polished under magnification, but what can I say... it works MUCH better).


Oh yeah, forgot to ask... are you saying that after shaving with your magnetic the bevel has scratches on it? Are these scratches not there pre-shaving?

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

if you like to show edge to rest of the people how it looks like please make pictures of the edge not the bevel.
Bevel doesn't tell whole a lot.
in the other hand lightening plays a big role on microscopic view too.
Thank you for the bevel pics. Keep it going.

This is a good as the pics get. My microscope doesn't go any further than a 100x and the lighting conditions are provided by a build in light source. Can't make those pics clearer as they are...... It was a hassle to just take the pics in the first place, took me a good 15 minutes to line up the camera with microscope and get a steady shot.

Originally Posted by TheSkyer

@hoglahoo: What is corrugation?

It's the pattern of irregularity in the bevel extending to the edge that makes the edge look like it has teeth - sort of like striations that protrude against the edge, forming a sort of bumpy edge instead of a fine, straight edge. But the resolution of the photo is not quite enough to convince me that's the case, maybe it's just the fuzzy focus at that narrow scope

PS There's nothing wrong with the photo - it's just not quite suited to extended study imo. You might try angling the bevel differently under the scope to get a different view as well just for kicks

I've never owned or shaved with a Gold Dollar. From everything I've read, it seems to me that the issue with them is not the quality of the steel or their ability to hold an edge. The issue seems to be more with poor manufacturing resulting in poor fitting scales, uneven grinds, bent tangs, etc...