Hello from Joe @ Snazzy Man

Snazzy Man said:
I believe that Solingen make them for both - what's the issue with Salters' ones?
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Solnigen is a town. they need to be made in that town to put solnigen on the blade. It is not a maker as far I know. there is nothing wrong the salter ones they make great letter openers jeltz. Now for shaving they dont hold that good a edge and it does not last very long. Also with all straight razors nearly they are not shipped shave ready.
 
It's generally suspected that the Salter razors come from the Dovo factory (in Solingen). Having just done an image search for the Taylor ones, it's an absolute certainty that's where they come from. The tortoiseshell one is a Dovo 1516 with about a 100% markup; the shoulderless ones are Bismarcks and slightly less exorbitant. The Salters are well known for poor forging and grinding, whilst the bottom end Dovos are a bit of a lottery nowadays, but the steel and heat treatment are good. The Bismarcks are quite respectable but often suffer from fit and finish problems - cosmetic rather than disastrous.

Thanks Pedro, but I wouldn't want to upset Neil ;)
 
Well there's two ways to do it: new or vintage, and I'd generally recommend the latter.

In the case of the former, there are three big names, Dovo, Thiers Issard and Revisor (not quite sure what the deal is with Revisor - they may be new as in new / old stock - Mikael will know). I've nothing against Dovo inasmuch as I shave with one quite often and like it, but it's probably fair to say that their quality control has left a bit to be desired over the last few years, and the blades can be, ahem, problematic to hone. TI have plenty of fans, but so do Revisor ... in any of these cases expect to pay upwards of £70 for a basic razor, and the chances of it being in a fit state to shave with are remote unless the vendor specifically states that the razor will be supplied shave ready.

For vintage, that's pretty easy. Have a look at Neil Miller's site. He doesn't have any cheapies up at the moment, but if you PM him here he'll be able to advise. A basic razor from the last century will be cheaper than any usable new one, and it will most definitely be shave ready. I'd suggest something like a Kropp or a C F Ern of some sort, or any of a few dozen other names - good reliable blades which will generally outperform most modern ones. You will have to budget for a strop as well, but don't be spending too much on that to start with.

For advice on sizes, type of grind and so forth there's lots of good information in the Straights area of the forum - don't be afraid to start a thread there if you want to clarify something.
 
Thank you for such a detailed response. My idea behind learning the art of straight edge shaving was to assist me offering those razors on Snazzy Man. Given that I have a lot to learn, I've taken the ToOBS straights off the site for the time being while I build up more knowledge. Never sell anything you don't understand is the motto.

Have had a look at Neil Miller's site and will have a think about whether to go for a new or vintage blade. Also need to decide whether this something for every morning or more for occasional use.
 
I have a dumb question. Want to set up a new thread about handmade shaving mugs and scuttles, in terms of designs people may like, where to source etc. How do I create a new thread under Shaving Tackle?
 
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