Thread: Vintage and New Razors

This might be an odd question but I just received my first new razor, a Dovo Natural which has a 5/8 round tip blade. Comparing that to my vintage 5/8 round tip Shumate, the Dovo looks gigantic with the blade seeming wider, and the tang and tail bigger as well. Also the full hollow grind of the Dovo doesn't seem to be as thin as the Shumate either. It's a beautiful razor and I'm going to enjoy getting the most out of it but was wondering if anyone else thinks that todays razors are beefier than yesterday's razors.

Oh and I measured again and the Shumate does measure out to 5/8 unless I've forgotten how to read a ruler.

Might it be that the vintage razor was once as wide as the Dovo but has been honed down through use throughout the years?

That's me playing devil's advocate. I've noticed the same thing for restored razors. However, I did pick up a NOS or close to mint 5/8 Genco Easy Aces that is as wide as my relatively new 5/8 TI Super Gnome, although it is a lot less beefy with regards to the tang and tail.

Actually, I sent the TI off for a honing a while back and was only using vintage razors for a good couple of weeks, and when I got back to the TI it felt huge and unwieldy in my hands. Everything about it seemed too big, and it felt like a wedge in comparison to my very thinly ground vintage razors. Haven't tried out a Dovo, although I think I remember reading somewhere that Thiers Issard razors are generally beefier.

Originally Posted by Str8nSharp

wondering if anyone else thinks that todays razors are beefier than yesterday's razors.

Not really, some are smaller others are bigger, there are at least tens if not hundreds of thousands models vintage razors so there's a lot of variety to cover the whole spectrum.
But the modern day full hollow is generally not as hollow as it used to be. It's probably because it's harder and more costly to do.

Thanks for the replies gents. Your answers make sense.

Chalk it up to the lack of consistent universal measurement standards. What one manufacturer markets as full hollow is not necessarily going to be the same as another. This was true in the glory days of straights just as it is now. The best example are Dubl Ducks. They are marketed as full hollow yet are considered by most users as extra hollow. Of course, a "proper" full hollow will feel beefier and heavy by comparison. Just something to keep in mind.