Thread: What Is It About These Old Razors?

New to straight shaving, after a mistake or two, I started out with several new Dovos, professionally honed.

eBay adventures netted me some pretty nasty specimens, but also some razors that looked okay to me but that I didn't know much about. I set them aside in a "project pile" to look at and work on later.

Recently, I realized these were all actually pretty well-respected brands, so I cautiously started cleaning them and working on the edges. All seemed to have an undamaged edge, all but one had what looked like a decent bevel. Slowly, I've honed them and recently tried shaving with them.

All I can say is WOW. Since my honing skills are likely not the explanation, I just have to think those old razors had something special that made them easy to work with. All four of these old-timers give a smooth, creamy shave. I find it's easy with them to keep my touch light. I've had several days now to play with them, and I must say, I like them better than my (wonderful) professionally honed new razors.

For the record, here's what I've got:

Dubl Duck Special Wedge-This one seems to have some bluing on the rib and shank that I decided I didn't want to try to remove. I was mentored along by someone on this board with honing this one from setting the bevel through the pyramid, etc.

Robeson Shur Edge-The first one I actually felt the magic on. Made me pull that Dubl Duck out of the "project" pile, finish it and shave with it.

Wostenholm IXL-Another in the project pile, honed up beautifully and shaves great!

Yankee Cutlery/Lion-I bought this one shave ready but actually hated the edge on it, very harsh, so I worked on it from the 8K hone up. Now it's also a smooth cutter.

So what is it about these vintage razors that makes them so easy to hone and so capable of such a great-shaving edge? I have a couple new unhoned Dovos that I can't seem to do the same with.

I could post pictures, but you guys know what these look like. Mine are nothing special, except maybe the Robeson and the Lion, both of which came with nice scales.

I now call these four old razors my "Board of Elders"