Can this advise from DOVO possibily be true??

I was looking for information on some DOVO razors and came across the following bizzarre FAQ:

5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?
DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.


Two main questions stem from this. Should i not shave with the same razor everyday ( to let this "fin" straighten up

Has anyone every heard of NOT stopping the razor before every shave??

Don

TI also has some of the same advise in their info sheets

I guess the best thing to do is try it and see what you find to be true..

Any excuse to buy more razors is good in my book as to the don't use the same razor everyday question :D


BTW you will find much talk on here about the mystical magical "Fin"

Haha, yes this comes up every so often. The collective wisdom of SRP has shot down many of Dovo's instructions, including:

-The razor is honed and ready to shave out of the box
-The razor must rest in between shaves
-Stropping isn't always necessary.

I know it seems counter intuitive, but ignore the Dovo instructions - your face will thank you for it :)

I think this is more traditional "wisdom" than anything else.

But it is in their best interest that you rest your razors. Ideally (for dovo) you would buy a seven day set and use a different blade daily.

Michael

The only magical fin I believe in is the one in my wallet.

If your razor has teeth & fins are you shaving with a fish ?

I tested this theory once, and shaved with an 1880s era W&B daily for 3 weeks. The first, last and every shave in between felt great to me. If anything, I became better accustomed to the Butcher and the shaves got progressively better.

The first thing wrong is that they say they come shave ready....

Fin! The fantastic or the amazing? Haven't written on this in awhile. Let her rest!

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Originally Posted by Wintchase

The first thing wrong is that they say they come shave ready....

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Ha, exactly right.

Mountaindon.. the collective opinion of this and at least two other shaving forums is that it's a load of codswallop. It's one of those things that "everyone knows".. a good rule of thumb is that any statement that begins with the phrase "Everybody knows that.." is almost always wrong.

rs,
Tack

Basically you can ignore what they say/write and just pick up the info from here.

And your shaving brush must always be hung hair-down to dry, when applying lather you must always paint and never scrub, and you must never shave against the grain...

The shaving world (along with many others) carries a lot of hearsay "rules" that really don't stand up to scrutiny. (And some of them, surprisingly, sound like they might be quite helpful in getting people to buy more stuff :D)

For what it's worth I guess it's worth mentioning that of COURSE it's wrong to strop your razor by moving it back and forwards without turning it over, regardless of opinions about the other advice.

(where's a forehead slapping smiley when you need one?).

Like Glen said, try it and see, however, given all the variables unless your in tune to things more than the average human and you are fine tuned and calibrated like a fine watch, I bet you never come to a conclusion based on your experimentation anyway...

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

For what it's worth I guess it's worth mentioning that of COURSE it's wrong to strop your razor by moving it back and forwards without turning it over, regardless of opinions about the other advice.

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So THAT'S why I've been going through so many strops!:gaah:

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Originally Posted by Oscroft

And your shaving brush must always be hung hair-down to dry, when applying lather you must always paint and never scrub, and you must never shave against the grain...

The shaving world (along with many others) carries a lot of hearsay "rules" that really don't stand up to scrutiny. (And some of them, surprisingly, sound like they might be quite helpful in getting people to buy more stuff :D)

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You've now gone too far. Everyone knows that a brush has to be hung hair down!! If it isn't, it will curl as it grows at nite!

DEFINITELY a Dovo, at least the less expensive ones, are NOT shave ready from the factory. Not even close. But here's the kicker... if you hone it, you void the warranty! ROTFLMAO! Even if you know how to hone, get your Dovos shave-ready from a vendor known for good edges. Then if there are any issues with the spine/edge alighnment or whatever, they are on him and not on you. If your Dovo comes to you shave-ready, then obviously there will be no impediments to you honing it later. You don't get stuck with a "difficult" dovo that way. All the kinks will be worked out, all the issues settled, and any total rejects, well, you won't see them at all.

Their advice is retarded. I have been shaving with the same razor every day for two weeks now.

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Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

DEFINITELY a Dovo, at least the less expensive ones, are NOT shave ready from the factory. Not even close. But here's the kicker... if you hone it, you void the warranty! ROTFLMAO! Even if you know how to hone, get your Dovos shave-ready from a vendor known for good edges. Then if there are any issues with the spine/edge alighnment or whatever, they are on him and not on you. If your Dovo comes to you shave-ready, then obviously there will be no impediments to you honing it later. You don't get stuck with a "difficult" dovo that way. All the kinks will be worked out, all the issues settled, and any total rejects, well, you won't see them at all.

Their advice is retarded. I have been shaving with the same razor every day for two weeks now.

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Some of them are close when they come from the factory. But it is widely thought that they need honing before use. In my recent experience a new dovo only needed a very light touch up.

Dovo also sells traditional strop paste and I imagine they would prefer that you use that. How many mangled razors do you think they got before they started voiding warranties for honing? I don't know either but there must have been some. I'm sure many a new guy has wailed away on a brick with a new dovo only to attempt a return later.

As for the pros who sell shave ready razors, they are doing a great service. People like Lynn have made straights much more accessible to the new user by including honing with new razors. And the vendors that do things right will bend over backwards for any customer concern about a razor. From a good vendor I wouldn't hesitate to buy a blade honed, or not.

Michael

This has been a very informative read, I really took notice as to how many moderators had input into it. I have a question as a "newbie" to straight razors, the wet shave, and using a Dovo.

Let me give you a bit of background as to what I have been using. I recently purchased a Dovo '"La Forme" I believe it is called. A beautiful looking razor, it was a used item from a member on this forum, and it was just like brand new. I used it cautiously, as all instructions on here says to do, and I found it always seemed to pull at my facial hairs. Now I have researched and critiqued my methods of Pre shave, oils, shave cream, stropping, brushes and of course razor hone.
I took this razor to a local sharpening business and spoke with the owner. He reassured me that the razor was not in need of a hone but it did need to be stropped properly. He mentored in how to strop it slowly "10 times" in one direction then change and strop it on the other side for 10 times.

My questions are: since I have watched and read a lot on this forum, am I doing any harm by using this method? 10 slow passes one way then change and do 10 the other way?

It seems no matter what I do for prep that I still pull at my facial hair and is that because of my razor?

Thank you in advance for any and all help.

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

This has been a very informative read, I really took notice as to how many moderators had input into it. I have a question as a "newbie" to straight razors, the wet shave, and using a Dovo.

Let me give you a bit of background as to what I have been using. I recently purchased a Dovo '"La Forme" I believe it is called. A beautiful looking razor, it was a used item from a member on this forum, and it was just like brand new. I used it cautiously, as all instructions on here says to do, and I found it always seemed to pull at my facial hairs. Now I have researched and critiqued my methods of Pre shave, oils, shave cream, stropping, brushes and of course razor hone.
I took this razor to a local sharpening business and spoke with the owner. He reassured me that the razor was not in need of a hone but it did need to be stropped properly. He mentored in how to strop it slowly "10 times" in one direction then change and strop it on the other side for 10 times.

My questions are: since I have watched and read a lot on this forum, am I doing any harm by using this method? 10 slow passes one way then change and do 10 the other way?

It seems no matter what I do for prep that I still pull at my facial hair and is that because of my razor?

Thank you in advance for any and all help.

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Stropping should be done going up and down (1 pass) with the spine leading. Depending on the size of the strop, the X stroke may not be necessary. There are lots of videos on stropping and resources here on this site. Stropping could be the issue with your razor. it could be other things. You never know. I know a good stropping session makes a world of difference in the quality of my edges.

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Originally Posted by Mephisto

Stropping should be done going up and down (1 pass) with the spine leading. Depending on the size of the strop, the X stroke may not be necessary. There are lots of videos on stropping and resources here on this site. Stropping could be the issue with your razor. it could be other things. You never know. I know a good stropping session makes a world of difference in the quality of my edges.

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The question I have is why should it be done single sided 1 lap at a time

why does it be affected if 10 passes are done one way and vice versa

will this make it sharper left handed or right handed

I have a lot of questions and this pos computer has me putting some stupid insignia in when I try to add a question mark, hence the reason my grammar seems elementary

I wonder why my razors feel so tired, they constantly tell me they need to rest :)
I have not noticed any problem with edges if they are used every day, apart from when a touch up is needed after some period of shaving

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

The question I have is why should it be done single sided 1 lap at a time

why does it be affected if 10 passes are done one way and vice versa

will this make it sharper left handed or right handed

I have a lot of questions and this pos computer has me putting some stupid insignia in when I try to add a question mark, hence the reason my grammar seems elementary

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Back and forth is one lap . Just do it that way and add about 65 more laps and see what happens. From what you say ...Your not stropping enough. Your fin is foul. :<0)

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Originally Posted by kwlfca

So THAT'S why I've been going through so many strops!:gaah:

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Yeah I know. It seems weird they go into detail about the mystical FIN, and state the bleedin' obvious.

It seems they should start with 'Now, this is a razor and this is a strop, one is made of metal and one is not...'

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

...My questions are: since I have watched and read a lot on this forum, am I doing any harm by using this method? 10 slow passes one way then change and do 10 the other way?...

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No but seriously, this would work. But why do it? Surely, for the sake of economy of motion doing a stroke on the way home so to speak makes sense? I get carried away with 'economy of motion'; it's an 'army thing, maybe. I sort of carry things through the lounge room at times thinking 'Now, i won't go back and get that on the second trip, as I can take it with me now as I drop off that other thing'. A bit of OCD kicking in there for me, I think...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

The question I have is why should it be done single sided 1 lap at a time

why does it be affected if 10 passes are done one way and vice versa

will this make it sharper left handed or right handed

I have a lot of questions and this pos computer has me putting some stupid insignia in when I try to add a question mark, hence the reason my grammar seems elementary

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Simple answer. Avoid razor Advice from local cutlery shops. Watch vids of how to strop on this forum.

Michael

Not to beat this one to death.... But, I did rest the one that I used a few days ago after stropping over nite and Didn't strop it this morning. FIN should have been there.
You know... It did shave better!!!
Fin on!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Johnus

Not to beat this one to death.... But, I did rest the one that I used a few days ago after stropping over nite and Didn't strop it this morning. FIN should have been there.
You know... It did shave better!!!
Fin on!

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I keep my razors in an "Energy Pyramid" when they're resting and they shave even better than yours...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

The question I have is why should it be done single sided 1 lap at a time

why does it be affected if 10 passes are done one way and vice versa

will this make it sharper left handed or right handed

I have a lot of questions and this pos computer has me putting some stupid insignia in when I try to add a question mark, hence the reason my grammar seems elementary

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As long as you are going spine leading I guess it would not matter. The up and down pass just seems economy of motion.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

I keep my razors in an "Energy Pyramid" when they're resting and they shave even better than yours...

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LOL! :rofl2:

Lemur's House:

Attachment 143721

Lemur's shaving hat:

Attachment 143722

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Johnus

Not to beat this one to death.... But, I did rest the one that I used a few days ago after stropping over nite and Didn't strop it this morning. FIN should have been there.
You know... It did shave better!!!
Fin on!

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Or maybe YOU shaved better? Just might be an option you haven't considered :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorsharpwit

The question I have is why should it be done single sided 1 lap at a time

why does it be affected if 10 passes are done one way and vice versa

will this make it sharper left handed or right handed

I have a lot of questions and this pos computer has me putting some stupid insignia in when I try to add a question mark, hence the reason my grammar seems elementary

---

If you don't flip the razor it means you have to lift the razor off the strop for your next stroke. This involves stopping the blade & is the point where you will likely cut your strop. If you don't stop but somehow drift off the strop you risk turning your wrist another no-no.

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Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

LOL! :rofl2:

Lemur's House:

Attachment 143721

Lemur's shaving hat:

Attachment 143722

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... and my cat;

Attachment 143794

Well, not really one of my cats but not to far fetched!

:rofl2:

Family TV night together....

Attachment 143797

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mountaindon

I was looking for information on some DOVO razors and came across the following bizzarre FAQ:

5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?
DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.


Two main questions stem from this. Should i not shave with the same razor everyday ( to let this "fin" straighten up

Has anyone every heard of NOT stopping the razor before every shave??

Don

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Some people can sure complicate the process. I say this without exaggeration: my development as a straight razor shaver has had a lot to do with keeping things as simple as possible. If I did half the things people who know infinitely more than I do about shaving and razors recommend, I would go nuts. One thing I like about this forum is that the more knowledgeable members here know how NOT to confuse a new convert to traditional wet shaving.

I do believe in rotating razors. It means I have to hone less often. I never get caught with my pants down being in a hurry, needing a shave, and not having time to sharpen a dull razor. There is no factual basis behind it, just common sense.

I used to go to some extremes to make sure my water was hot enough to shave (microwave and electric kettle) because my tap water doesn't get hot. Now I cold water shave.

I use soaps and creams that perform and no longer spend time trying to make duds work. They work or they're no longer used.

You need some basics to get started, but once you learn the fundamentals, use your instincts to do the rest.