Printable View
I'm wanting to get a Dovo but I'm not sure on the quality of the different blades. Right now I have my eye on the Renieseance(I'm sure I butchered the spelling there). I've only got a $200 budget. I would like to hear about personal experience with different models. I know it's ony going to be personal oppinions but will definately help.David
bulldog,Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog
The difference in the price of the various Dovos is not so much a difference in the quality of the blade, but the type of blade (carbon vs. stainless steel), the scales and decoration of the blade w/ gold leaf, etc. A Dovo "Best Quality" will deliver a shave equal to a more expensive Dovo "Bergischer Lowe." It just isn't as aesthetically pleasing to the eye or uses rarer, more expensive material (ie. violetwood, buffalo horn, etc.) for scales.
In short, whichever Dovo you choose to purchase will deliver a close, comforatble shave--once you master stropping, blade holding technique, etc. of str8 razor shaving.
Happy shaving...
bulldog,
The Renaissance is a stainless blade and the others aren't, so you have the typical issues with the stainless vs. the stainmore blades, which may not be worth the fabled pinch of ----. FWIW, my favorite among the the various Dovo razors I have, Renaissance among them, is a 6/8 Special with the fake turtle scales. The shanks on both razors are relatively thick and deep, about .200" x .400", making them both very comfortable for me to hold for shaving and also easier to hold for stropping than some other razors with more spindly shanks. The Special has jimps on the top and bottom of the shank, which I think is a great plus, and the Renaissance, with a rounded, etched surface on the top of the shank, has jimps only on the bottom.
The Renaissance has a shoulderless grind which I think is just the bee's knees, but the Special has those really nifty fake tortise scales. Half a dozen on one hand and 7 on the other. My vote is for the turtle, but both are winners.
good luck choosing and good shaving,
:beer2:
I find the Renaissance overpriced, relative to the Bismarck in particular. I also like the handling of the Bismarck better, but that is even more of a personal preference. Either way, Dovos are nice razors, and if you plan to buy from SRD, you will also get a stunningly low price (compared to the prices in Germany, of all places).
Regards,
Robin
PS Bergischer Löwe. B-e-r-g-i-s-c-h-e-r L-ö-w-e.
Agreed. As is mentioned above, the differences are subtle. (Take it from someone who owns more Dovo's than I care to admit :) ). Although, IMHO, the Bergischer Löwe is entirely it's own animal - very different grind, weight, and balance than any of my other Dovo's.Quote:
Originally Posted by BeBerlin
Were I buying my first again, I would likely opt for the Bismark, the Special Bruce mentioned, or the Ebony (Ebenholz) Silver Steel. The latter is probably my favorite Dovo after my Bergischer Löwe. This sounds obvious, but unless you're handy with the hones, make certain that you are buying from a source that is selling a shave-ready razor... e.g. SRD or VintageBlades - both of which are advertisers on this site. It's worth the few extra dollars to have your razor professionally honed.
I am happy with the Renaissance razor (a very good shaver), but the scales look cheap close up. I think I will change them sooner or later.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrDavid
MrDavid- I am currently drooling over the Ebony Silver Steel razor. Is "silver steel" something between high carbon and stainless? Should it be oiled after use? (I hardly ever oil my stainless Renaissance razor).
trondsi,
The 'Silver Steel' is a variation on the standard carbon steel blade. It's a slightly different alloy that - IME - tends to hold an edge a little longer. There is an in-depth discussion of the alloys here. I treat mine just like any other carbon blade.
Small alloy differences aside, the 'Silver Steel' is just one gorgeous Dovo. The goldwash is nice without being over-the-top, and the ebony scales are very classy. The one I own happened to be acquired from VintageBlades and was honed by Lynn; it's a great shaver!
Bulldog,
I have the Dovo best class stainless steel and love it. It has some heavy competition for #1 in my rotation and it always makes a good case for itself.
I would take the $$ and shop the SRP classifieds for it or something better. Someone will have a premium straight razor they will unload for that money.
The Best Class always gives a great shave and it keeps its edge well. It did take a little effort from the pasted paddle strop to help dial in on the edge, but once dialed it, it shaves great and sharpens up nicely.
Others I would consider used:
TI LeGrelot C135 steel
Any Robert Williams SR
Dovo. NO 55
7/8 or 8/8 Stainless Steel Wedge
Its always fun to shop for a another straight razor.
Good Luck!
Pabster
Many thanks! The 'Silver Steel' Ebony razor looks fantastic! However, I do like the somewhat easier to maintain (but harder to hone) stainless steel. Does anyone here have any experience with the Dovo Ebony 5/8 Stainless Steel?Quote:
Originally Posted by MrDavid
I personally do not own a Dovo yet, but will eventually here. For what it is worth I have talked with many current and past Dovo owners. People seem to either love the new production Dovos or feel the new production blades don't quite hold up to Dovo's Vintage razors... the shave is in the hand of the beholder most will tell you.
That being said, The Dovo Prima Klang has been unanimously recommended to me as the best new production blade Dovo has on the market currently, by multiple new production dovo fans, 2 Dovo venders themselves, and also those who have a preference to the Vintage Dovo's. That being said when I go to buy a new production Dovo it will be the Prima Klang.
Cheers,
Joshua
The PK is a very reputable shaver. I also seriously considered it until a slightly used Best Class fell into my lap at an attractive price.
Good Luck!
Pabster
By the way, does anyone know if the Dovo "Silver Steel" is similar to that of Thiers-Issard? Although I had some problems with my only TI razor, the quality of it's steel (the alloy, I suppose) seems to be very good.
Ive been eyeing the Perlex, any opinions on this Dovo?
I ended up getting the "best quality" 6/8 and the Bismarck 6/8. Both shave like a dream. I'm sure that's largely in part to the honing done by SRD. I enjoyed doing business with them.
Is there any noticeable difference between the two? I think the Bismarck looks very good. It appears to have the same general shape as the Renaissance, which I think tend to glide very easily over strops and hones, partly due to its lack of a heel.
I am thinking about getting a Bismarck 6/8, and I already own a "Best Quality" 6/8. How is the Bismarck compared to the Best Quality? Do you like it more? Does it shave better? Is it more hollow (gives more feedback)?Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog