Thread: Cannot pay me to use my DOVO anymore

Originally Posted by idkid

you should just let someone pay you to take it off your hands!

this is my next step.

I'm not saying DOVOs are bad by any means but I think in my case it is just such a huge difference that I couldn't see using it again. I got good shaves with it but it did not cut as smoothly as this SRD and the shave didn't last as long. Normally I would shave every day but now I'm not sure I have to.. almost 24 hours later and I'm still pretty smooth.

First of all, Max is that good. I'd rather shave with a spoon honed by Max than a razor honed by half the guys on the forum.

I'm not sure what the impetus is for the latest Dovo bashing, but three other points to consider.

1. Having a little skill in shaving with a straight razor does not give one the knowledge to evaluate razors, let alone pass judgement on them.
2. The forum is full of beginning shavers that thought Dovo's were bad, until they learned otherwise.
3. Trying to evaluate the quality of a razor, and not using the same people to hone them, really pushes the envelope of credibility.

As usual it's never the fault of the user. It's always the razors fault, even if it wasn't given the same quality of honing.

You should send all those deficient Dovos to me, and I'll try to hone them for you. I won't send them back, but I will hone them.

My experience with my 2 Dovo's are a bit different than the one's of the OP.

I have a modest collection of decent quality shavers, and the Dovo's are not sticking out as the worst in the pack, by no means.

In fact, I think they are very good, they take, in the hands of experienced honers, a fine fine edge.

I must admit to having other razors I prefer over the Dovo's, but that has more to do with personal preferences like size, grind, weight and balance, and less to do with the steel quality of the Dovo's.

I suggest you give your Dovo another chance.

Since you are so happy with Max's honing, why not let him have a go at the Dovo as well

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

First of all, Max is that good. I'd rather shave with a spoon honed by Max than a razor honed by half the guys on the forum.

I'm not sure what the impetus is for the latest Dovo bashing, but three other points to consider.

1. Having a little skill in shaving with a straight razor does not give one the knowledge to evaluate razors, let alone pass judgement on them.
2. The forum is full of beginning shavers that thought Dovo's were bad, until they learned otherwise.
3. Trying to evaluate the quality of a razor, and not using the same people to hone them, really pushes the envelope of credibility.

As usual it's never the fault of the user. It's always the razors fault, even if it wasn't given the same quality of honing.

I'm not sure why there is so much hostility here. My thread says "my dovo." I'm not bashing the brand and I didn't say I wasn't getting good shaves with my dovo. I'm simply saying that my two razors give vastly different results and in my little experience, I observe a substantial difference (one is honed by Lynn and one honed by Max)

There are variables here and I'm not claiming expertise... There are however, no doubts between nearly all members here that there are differences between brands and regardless of my experience I can obviously tell the difference between these razors which are credibly shave ready and being used with the same exact techniques.

Your statement, "As usual it's never the fault of the user. It's always the razors fault" is flawed. If I'm using the same techniques, whether correct or not, and getting much better results, isn't that all that matters when stating a simple opinion?

I partially agree with the OP in that there can be a difference in vintage steel to some new Dovos but I disagree that it is so marked. In fact the Dovo stainless razors that some people dislike are some of the nicest shavers around... if honed properly.
I also agree with the guys that say get your Dovo honed at the same time for an honest comparison.
You may simply be experiencing a slight degradation in the Dovo edge if it was not honed at the same time

I think perhaps the opening statement of the thread is what sets some of us on edge here


Cannot pay me to use my DOVO anymore
Maybe I can be paid... but I wouldn't use it for any other reason. Why?


This is strong language, so to expect some of the more senior members not to react to it is unrealistic

When you make a statement expect to get counter opinions, if that bothers you don't make the statement...

You might have worded it a touch better with just a slight change of the wording...


A title like

Is it me, is it Max's honing, or is there that much difference with these razors ???

This might have been the better approach

Just a thought...


Lets keep the discussion on track though..

Thanks guys

Thanks Glen, I agree the wording can differ but it's just my style to write powerfully I guess.

I do like strong reactions, though as it gets the conversation going and I never mind criticism. I guess it's possible that I like to argue but again my original post wasn't exactly a question it was more of a statement of my experience.

In conclusion though, I used the Case's Ace tonight for a touch up shave and I honestly found it similar to my Dovo, just a bit more sharp. The Droescher was just superior, but maybe it's the grind of the razor, something that has yet to be discussed. I believe the SRD is quarter hollow or near wedge which may make a difference.

The variables tend to add up...

When you start nailing down your personal favorites, then you will find steels that do appeal to your face after size and grind etc:...

Then you will start nailing in the hone on that steel etc: and sooner or later you will be as biased as the rest of us hehehe

Shave On !!!

I have a half weeks worth of Dovo razors and they are fine razors.

I have been playing with a couple of older razors and if I was a man
to make a wager on cards without looking I would bet that the newer
razor was most likely to have a number of 'new' things going on in the way
it hones and shaves.

Keep them in the rotation and perhaps hone them quicker than the clock
tells you and they will come home with time.

I say this because I picked up a Dovo half price on eBay and even
though it was once honed by very good hands it did not shave well.
After a couple three visits to the pyramid method it came home and now
can be touched up with only a 10K or 12K hone visit. It is now one
of my light touch wipe the lather off smooth shavers.

Having said this the finest shaving razors can only be assessed
by the shaver. What works for me may not work for you.

Now I might be tempted to pay shipping and give these durn
new blades a six year evaluation. However if I also rotate through
all of my own razors I might only get to them once perhaps twice
a year. So to do the evaluation correctly I would have to borrow
them for 60 years and I fear I would forget who to return them to.