I can't speak from experience as I have never bought from ruprazor before but he is typically highly recommended around here. The owner of that site is a member here Kenrup. As for the gold dollars they can be made shave ready and do provide nice shaves they are just not very highly thought of around here as they normally need work to be made shave ready and I know Ruprazor did at one point offer free lifetime honing on the gold dollar. So you know he is willing to stand behind his product.