Thread: Are these dovo straight razors good?

I was looking for a straight razor to buy as a newbie to straight razor shaving. I was looking at this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dovo-Carbon-Stee...QQcmdZViewItem


or


http://cgi.ebay.com/Straight-Razor-D...QQcmdZViewItem

Would you recommend buying from ebay? Thanks a lot.

Yes, those are good razors.

No, at those prices I would not recommend buying from Ebay. I would use Classicshaving.com. But, thats just me.

I prefer to pool everything I need from one dealer and pay one shipping charge. I also like to develop a relationship with my sellers.

I assume you know that the razor will be dull as a doorknob when you get it.

Actually if you are a newbee with nothing, I would recommend one of the starter kits from here:

http://www.thewellshavedgentleman.com

They include a Dovo razor, an incredible strop and all the other goodies you will need to get started as well as good directions and personal assistance if needed. If money is a little tight get the set with a pasted paddle strop, that will keep you shaving for a long long time. If you are planning on getting a honing set-up anyway I would get the hanging strop set you won't regret it.

Oh yea, the razor will actually be shaving sharp when you get it

I'll second Tim's recommendation to go to http://www.thewellshavedgentleman.com. When you buy from Tony Miller, you know you're receiving quality merchandise, at great service and backed up by the best CS on this side of the Atlantic and beyond

I definately agree with that Tony Miller
is the route to go. The razor comes
shave ready and all you will need to
do is lather up and shave.


Terry

In all fairness to the original sources one of those, the Tortoise Dovo, is offered by a member here, and is priced right where it should be.

The other is a wood handled Dovo and looks fine as well but both will need honing which is normal for any (or most) new Dovos.

Tony

Yes, the prices are less than classicshaving.com infact. I'm not sure the original poster is a newbie though.

I'm sure as well that either of those razors will do fine, but have to second Tim's suggestion that you get a kit from Tony. The razors are the same and they come ready to shave, not to mention Tony is a stand up guy.

X

Wow I had no idea a shaving forum would be so active!

Anyways I am quite the newbee to straight razor shaving (19 years old) and asked for a straight razor for christmas (and of course ended up getting some new Ipod, money, games, computer case, everything I SHOULD want =P). I currently have a cheap strop, a fairly cheap straight razor, and a cheap badger hair brush. I ordered a honing stone from premiumknives.com (because I had no idea where to get one from).

as I write this I am browsing thewellshavedgentleman.com and I think I will purchase a razor from here, and if the owner posts on these forums I feel a lot more... secure?

Anyways thanks everyone, and which straight razor would you recommend? I want a very good quality razor, but no 500 dollar, fossilized mammoth ivory razor

EDIT: Woops I forgot to ask, I was reading the tests you can do to see how well your blade is sharpened / honed but I can't seem to dig it up again, does anyone have a link?

Were I in your situation I think I would get the paddle set from Tony. When I was Your age I was moving around a lot and had to share my place with a variety of roommates. I would have wanted to keep my razor and strop with my stuff not in the bathroom so they didn't get damaged by my idiot roommates, a hanging strop wouldn't have been as useful. I would call Tony see what he recommends as far as pasting your strop, and if there is any reason to upgrade from the basic black razor as far as the shave is concerned. Your first decent razor might as well be a plain jane model as you will probably do all your learning on it, and then you can look around and try the different fancier stuff out there.

Of course this is all contingent upon the quality of what you already have. What brands of stuff do you have?