Time to upgrade?

So when I first started moving to straight razors this time last year, I tried a shavette, with varied results due to inexperience. It was enough to have me move on to a cheap and cheerful £20 Gold Dollar straight, which I am well aware is pretty low on the quality scale, but thought it would be fine to get the hang of things.

About a year has passed and I'm enjoying my Dollar, I've gotten okay at a two pass shave, not BBS but good enough for government work. I'm on a work trip right now, and thought I'd take the shavette with me for simplicity, and got a smoother shave with a single pass than I do with my Dollar.

I'd thought up till now that my imperfections in smoothness were down to technique, but now I'm wondering whether the shavette is better generally than a straight, or is it time to upgrade my Dollar? Can you get a shavette level shave with a better quality straight?

I appreciate there's a lot of factors here, but generally how have others with the same experience trod? Thanks!

I would think that (regardless of your shavette performance) if you've been working with a razor for a year and still not getting great shaves it's time to try something else. Even if it weren't a GD.

Never have used a shavette, so I can't compare the two. Gold Dollars are known to be extremely low quality.

If you've gotten a year out of a Gold Dollar, or any razor for that matter, it's a safe bet that it needs to hit the stones. Don't judge the shaves you're getting now, because I'm sure the razor is not optimum at this point.

I'm done with DE type blades, which I assume also goes into shavettes, I hate 'em in all honesty.

My advice would be to get a good quality piece of gear, shell out a little coin, they don't cost that much if you get a shave ready vintage one in the BST.

A brand new SR is quite pricey, but you might still doubt it's shave readiness, I'd buy one from the good guys on here that get a "real" SR to shave ready standards

Or at least a good honing on the GD

You never mentioned whether you are honing your GB or even sending it out to be honed. If you have not done that in a year I'd be the blade is dull for a start. It is possible that any razor, never mind a GD, would be dull after a year of constant use with no honing.

Bob

True, I forgot the honing, which I haven't done since I've had it - I've used paste on my old strop to improve it a bit, on the advice of the chap I was going to send it to to have it honed. He pointed out that for the price of honing it I might as well buy a new shave ready Gold Dollar, so I tried the pasting, which has improved it, but I think, as you all seem to recommend, the time has come to put that honing money into getting a better razor.

My main question now is, with a good shave ready vintage, should I be expecting something akin to a DE pass? Or do all SRs need a little more work for the smoothness of a DE? Not had much experience with a range of razors yet...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AMarsReject

True, I forgot the honing, which I haven't done since I've had it - I've used paste on my old strop to improve it a bit, on the advice of the chap I was going to send it to to have it honed. He pointed out that for the price of honing it I might as well buy a new shave ready Gold Dollar, so I tried the pasting, which has improved it, but I think, as you all seem to recommend, the time has come to put that honing money into getting a better razor.

My main question now is, with a good shave ready vintage, should I be expecting something akin to a DE pass? Or do all SRs need a little more work for the smoothness of a DE? Not had much experience with a range of razors yet...

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OK, that makes sense now. Yes, I would look for a vintage or new shave ready razor instead of a GD. No matter which way you go, vintage or new, they will still need to be honed when they cannot be brought back using a pasted strop. There is no getting around that.

You can get at least as good a shave using a straight razor as you can with a DE, some say better. With a straight razor your edge must be kept "shave ready", your shaving technique must be bang on, same goes for your lather and stopping. If any one or more of these is deficient you will get a sub par shave. Once you have a "shave ready" razor it is mostly down to a person's skill to produce a good shave.

Bob

some people like gold dollar but I have never tried one but they use to be really bad. Now I think they make okay blades? but mostly used by people for honing practice I think. You can get shavette sharp with SR from what I hear but usually people find the most "comfortable" edge to be 12k naniwa/jnat/other naturals. you might not have been getting good results because of the edge and I would try few different naturals out to get the feel. although let me add in this. I think shavette /DE is better option for someone who is truly needing to save money. SR is cheaper in long run but it is like 50-100$ for decent vintage and 80$ or so for 12k naniwa. And there is also learning curve to hone, as well as if you want different edge you have to find right stone. And finding the right stone can take up a lot of money.
if shavette works for you I would just roll with it. If you do want straight razor experience then I would maybe post a WTB vintage/used razor with your price and buy one that is easy to hone (not smiling or weird honewear)

As Bob said...
"Comfort is 90% in the hand on the shaver". Edge care, lather, proper stropping, using or not using Cr0x paists. The last 10% has to do with the stone it was finished on. But that's a different type of comfort. At least this is what I'm finding. If you have been using a GD for a year then a vintage properly honed razor will feel so sharp in comparison that your not going to understand how you were able to shave with that GD.

I have a GD in my collection and I break it out once every couple months just because I feel bad for the S.O.B. It needs used once in a while too. But I noticed the last time I used it (according to my log its been used 9 times now sense honing) is just isn't as sharp as It could be.

I've never used a shavette but think about getting one now and then for my travel bag. I think you should wait and check out the B/S/T thread and find you a properly honed vintage razor for under 50 bucks and give it a go. If its not up to your standards or you just don't feel good about it then sell it on the B/S/T and get most of your money back. But, if nothing else, have the GD honed by a pro and it will feel like a new razor.

Stay away from the stones unless you really want to start honing as it can cost a lot and the next thing you know your restoring razors and own 60+ razors and have to keep a log on what your doing with your razors and ... Oh wait, Thats me. :gl:

Using a GD as a benchmark for straight shaving is like buying a Yugo and using it as a benchmark for an automobile.

Thanks everyone, I'll have a look around for a vintage - I'd always been intimidated by the BST threads, but hadn't realised you could post a WTB, that might things a lot easier!

Stropping is the clue to maintain and even increase the quality of the blade. When I read "on my old strop" I guess there might be a problem at this point. Stropping on an old leather can be desastrous if not flat, if too dry with cracks on the surface. Stropping with abrasive paste is maintaining the sharpness without getting any smoothness. Be sure to have a good strop or paddle.

Ah, I meant the strop I used to use - I started with a cheap and cheerful one for practicing, but have upgraded to a very nice Westholme since then. I use the old one now for pasting only, and do routine stropping on the better one. Whether my technique is up to snuff is another matter...!

Okay, I see. By the way, routine stropping is like applying wax on a wooden floor to keep its shine. But pasting is like using the rotative sandpaper on the floor. It is not something you do on schedule. You do it when absolutely necessary, because you scrap a layer of wood. Same thing with pasting the razor edge.

AMarsReject, I'm sending you a PM.

If I where you I would defently go for a vintage shave ready razor. Alot of sellers on the bay. However, shave ready dosnt have to mean they truly are shave ready. But if you find something there, use the knowledge here. Alot of ppl that know a hell lot of things about razors. Best part is everyone is very kind and helpfull.

I'm sure JP5 is going to help you out.

But if that doesn't work, I'd recommend staying away from eBay and looking in the B/S/T for your next razor.
Not only will you get a quality razor it will be shave ready!! Unless of course the seller says otherwise.

Good luck

Like everyone, I think an upgrade is in order. I like newer razors. My preference is Dovo, though Boker and Thiers Issard are among other well respected brands that are currently manufactured.

You mentioned having a shavette. You didn't mention what kind and which blade type it uses. I have a Dovo Shavette that uses a blade with a spine and is longer that a regular blade. This one provides awesome shaves.

There are a couple of things I like about the shavette. First, there is no question regarding whether the blade is sharp. Also, I use the shavette to keep my shaving skills sharp. Good form is required with a shavette or you'll cut yourself.

The first thing I would do is get the Gold Dollar professionally honed, then you will know whether it is is the edge itself (it is) or something else. A Gold Dollar is just a crudely made 6/8-13/16 half hollow, and provided that it wasn't really borked when they ground it - and some are - it will probably shave just fine. I use them to test stones and technique all the time.

That said, shaving with a factory Gold Dollar isn't that much fun, so I'd try something different, a nice vintage would be a good experience for you. You could also scare up some better 'donor' scales, a lot of the Gold Dollar's poor ergonomics are from the scales which are IMO the worst part of a Gold Dollar.

Cheers, Steve

In comparing the shavette and even a GD razor. Does not matter if it is a Dovo, Boker, Wade & Butcher or any other brand, comparing a real straight to a shavette IMO is not apples to apples. The blade used in a shavette is generally honed to have multiple bevels, they have a slickness coating on them and they are dang near paper thin. But with all that said, a CCS is very possible with either a shavette or a straight razor. I personally believe a real straight to be more forgiving than a shavette. From what I have read a GD can give an amazing shave, so could a piece of glass I imagine ;D I would suggest you get one from the BST here like has been mentioned. There are lots of reputable guys on here that sell good blades ready to go. With a properly honed razor, a good stropping technique and all such things I believe you can achieve the same level of shave from a true straight that you do from a shavette.

Thanks all, I think I'm going to see what money I've got left after Xmas and then have a look around the BST. Maybe get the GD honed as well and see if it makes much of a difference. JP5, I haven't received anything yet...?