The most hard-wearing handle?

Hi everyone,

From what I've read in the forum, I'm about to ask the question everyone does, but please bear with me because I've not seen a straight answer.

I'm getting my boyfriend a straight razor for his birthday in a few weeks and can't decide which handle to go with. I've decided that I'm going to buy a Dovo, but now need to know which handle will last the longest - bone, mother-of-pearl, wood or horn? I want something really good quality and lasting - can you recommend which might be best?

Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Girlfriend

Hi everyone,

From what I've read in the forum, I'm about to ask the question everyone does, but please bear with me because I've not seen a straight answer.

I'm getting my boyfriend a straight razor for his birthday in a few weeks and can't decide which handle to go with. I've decided that I'm going to buy a Dovo, but now need to know which handle will last the longest - bone, mother-of-pearl, wood or horn? I want something really good quality and lasting - can you recommend which might be best?

Thank you!

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Lucky boyfriend! It's really a matter of aesthetics. They will all last a lifetime if cared for properly -- and that's a matter of general upkeep and common sense and not anything tedious.

Where are you looking to buy the razor from?

Welcome to the site!

You're in the right place to get your questions answered, and your boyfriend is a lucky guy....! Nuthin' like a razor for your birthday, they're a great gift! :)

To answer your question, all will last a long time if you look after them and keep them dry. Once you start getting water/soap on them and not taking care of the razor, thats when you'll run in to problems such as a rusty blades and scales playing up.

When he gets the razor, make sure he only gets the blade wet, not the scales or pivot area where the blade joins the scales (the handle). Once he's done shaving he should make sure that the razor is dried thoroughly and that there is no water or lather on the razor anywhere. Check in between the scales as this is a common area where water can get caught, and once you close the razor the blade makes contact with the water and then you can get rust and water spots.

As long as he looks after it and keeps it dry, it should last for decades! I have bone handled razors from the mid 1800's, and they are still going strong.

Good luck, great choice of gift and keep us posted!

Well I've been really predictable and been in to Harrods and Selfridges and Truefitt and Hill (but they don't actually have any, surprisingly), so I'm going to try Trumpers this week. I'm assured they have some Dovo horn ones, which I'll probably go with - does horn sound like a good bet?

It's really a matter of personal taste and budget rather than longevity. Any of them should last longer than your boyfriend, even if both are properly cared for!

Right, I was obviously too slow in writing my reply - thank you both - horn it is.
Yes, he's a lucky guy!

I say go with bone handle. There is something manly about that. Your boyfriend gets to say he shaves with a razor that has a handle made from the bones of an animal. Very caveman. Horn is my second choice

Although it's not part of your question, since you have a few weeks you may want to purchase from a vendor that sells honed straight razors.

You can't shave with a straight razor until it's been honed.

Wherever you buy it, if it's not honed, it'll need doing or you'll put the chap off for life!

Here are a couple of reputable places online, the owners are members here.

Strop Shop Neil.

Invisible Edge Steve.

They'll be able to sell you what you really need, as they're interested, whereas the outlets you have mentioned rarely have a clue.

Don't forget a strop.


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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Although it's not part of your question, since you have a few weeks you may want to purchase from a vendor that sells honed straight razors.

You can't shave with a straight razor until it's been honed.

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I type slow!

I'm not sure how much reading you have done, but a straight razor needs to be prepped with a strop. That is an essential accessory. Though it's not essential, a proper brush and shaving soap really improve the shave.

Ha ha, he's a pro-animals vegetarian so I think the bone might be pushing it! But yes, honing is something I hadn't even heard of until today so I'll definitely bear that in mind. I'll be getting it from a barbers so hopefully they can sort it out for me...?!

I'll make sure he signs up! Thank you all.



Oh, and I've already bought the badger hair brush, stand, strop, paste, and soap. I'm the classic girl who doesn't know what she's doing, so I've just bought everything. I've also bought him a shaving class at Trumpers, so he'll know how to do it all properly.

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Originally Posted by Girlfriend

Ha ha, he's a pro-animals vegetarian so I think the bone might be pushing it!

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How's he going to react to a badger brush & strop?

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Originally Posted by Girlfriend

Ha ha, he's a pro-animals vegetarian so I think the bone might be pushing it! But yes, honing is something I hadn't even heard of until today so I'll definitely bear that in mind. I'll be getting it from a barbers so hopefully they can sort it out for me...?!

I'll make sure he signs up! Thank you all.



Oh, and I've already bought the badger hair brush, stand, strop, paste, and soap. I'm the classic girl who doesn't know what she's doing, so I've just bought everything. I've also bought him a shaving class at Trumpers, so he'll know how to do it all properly.

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Do you have a sister ;)

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Originally Posted by jpm7676

I say go with bone handle. There is something manly about that. Your boyfriend gets to say he shaves with a razor that has a handle made from the bones of an animal. Very caveman. Horn is my second choice

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Originally Posted by ben.mid

How's he going to react to a badger brush & strop?

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He wears leather shoes so he's going to have to get over that one!

Not all barbers know how to hone. If the barber is younger than 50, there's very little likelihood he/she can hone. If the barber is older than 80, the odds are higher but still not great. You'd be better off getting it honed by someone who regularly hones straights.

Edit: Hopefully the person running the class at Trumpers can help ensure that the razor is properly sharp.

Ok, that's really helpful, I'll definitely make sure I look in to it and get it done before he uses it. Thank you!

I bought my first razor from Trumpers and they do come shave ready. Mine was very well honed when I got it, and is a very good little shaver.

And if he has a shaving class at Trumpers, he's in good hands! I've had a few shaves there and those guys know what they're doing!

Handles made of Diamond Wood, Pacca Wood, acrylics or Micarta are impervious to almost everything. They are exceptionally durable and can be purchased in a wide variety of colors.

The hardest wearing handle has to be stainless steel , Dovo sell an all steel razor.
However, many don't like the balance of razors with steel scales (handle).
Plastic scales are reasonably indestructible.
The most important thing is the blade, as everyone has already said and it needs to be shave ready, so buy from a reliable vendor who will hone it prior to purchase.

I'm going to try to simplify this. Any common scale material you choose stands a very good chance of outlasting the blade itself. The scales are not likely to wear out in the life of your boyfriend. If you drop a razor, the blade is much more likely than the scales to break. The longevity of the scales for the most part just isn't an issue. Personal taste regarding the aesthetics of the scales is.