Newbie requires some straight talking...

matteob

matteob

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Specifically about getting a first razor. I had a shave with the passaround box Sanguine shavette yesterday to get a feel for holding scales and it was not as monstrous as I thought. I have got dibs on a straight from an ATG passaround but would like recommendations on a beginner razor or strop. As may make the investment before too long.I have read terrible things on nearly all forums about Chinese Gold Dollars but I see there is an old guy in Cornwall who sells them after carrying out some remedial work on them. However my question is this. Is the steel of sufficiently high quality to be able to be re-honed? This will probably be the case as I am no expert in honing. Many honers websites specifically state that they will not hone these purely because they can't take an edge so could not be justified in taking people's money. Would he re-hone a GD for you?Should I save up and pay £90 for one of his classic Dovos? Are there any other relutable dealers out there and what about a strop? Can they be gained cheaply? Do you use them on their own or does one have to use a compound as well?
 
I am a happy owner of a shave ready Gold Dollar 208 after paying Billy the old guy in Cornwall 20 pounds and as the work on spine and heel is done to properly set a bevel and finish edge to shave ready state I imagine future honing would not be a problem.
 
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Gold Dollars are Great Shavers..They Hone Up Well & Good Steel..You can Buy One From around 20 Notes at the Door Shave Ready & a Decent Strop for the Same or Less..I Can Only Guess Some Vendors Don't Like Gold Dollars as a Lot of Folks Don't or Just Don't Want to Hone them from the Factory because Some Steel Has to be Removed from them..Not Quite Sure..o_O

Dovos are Lovely Shavers & they Do Need Honed Unless You get it from a Vendor that's Honed it from the Factory which Many Don't..:)

Billy
 
matteob said:
what about a strop guys? Anyone recommend a decent one? You just run the blade over the leather yeah?
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you need to buy a ready honed razor, buy one of these, you can use a strop once you know how sharp the razor should be, practice on this with a butter knife to get the action, I generally only use this, and I have a couple of strops, no point buying an expensive stop first, you will end up damaging it.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131969291701?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
Or how about a ZY430,i've just bought one and had it honed, i've had a couple of shaves with it and it seems fine,i'm just starting out with straights,i asked Jamie who honed it how it compared with Gold Dollars,just another option for you.


Dave surprisingly I have a good opinion of the razor I would say better than a Gold Dollar and definitely better than those Titan razors, the scales were good the grind was good and it was pretty straight forward razor to hone using one layer of tape, there's no need to strop the razor before you shave only after I'm curious are you new to straight razor shaving?
 
I would consider it a lottery buying one be it Gold Dollar, Gold Monkey, Titan, ZY430, straight from China, if you get lucky don't think it is the greatest brand on earth and if you loose out the worst crap ever, it is normal variation part of "The Buy Inexpensive Straight Razor from China Lottery".
 
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After getting my shave ready Gold Dollar from the old guy in Cornwall I bought a similar untouched straight from China, the idea was trying to mimic his work but found it was not a task suitable for a newbie, after way to many trial and error sessions finally binned razor for peace of mind.
 
matteob said:
@DaveThumper Had a look and who is Jamie? I take it "Master Shifu" did not do a good job lol. I am not a brand snob and not all stuff made in China is bad (like the Ipad I am writing this on) but the guy in Cornwall seems to spend some time on the razors which is a good sign.
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Pugh-The-Special-One did the hone for me,no i think Master Shifu must of had an off day,or he was in a rush to get to the Darby and Joan club
 
Nisse said:
After getting my shave ready Gold Dollar from the old guy in Cornwall I bought a similar untouched straight from China, the idea was trying to mimic his work but found it was not a task suitable for a newbie, after way to many trial and error sessions finally binned razor for peace of mind.
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If you got a shave ready Gold Dollar from the guy in Cornwall why is it a lottery getting a shave ready one,and i don't think anyone thinks there the greatest brand in the world,but if you get a shave ready one it's a way of dipping your toe in the straight shaving water
 
Exactly one would be a mug to drop £100 at first instance. As I say I have used a shavette no problems so this is the next step. I would not feel pissed in wasting £20 but I would £100. The guy in Cornwall says he has been honing razors for 50 years and uses these Gold Dollars himself. He seems to to have excellent feedback so as I say when the time comes that seems the best bet.

Master Shifu's finest at £8 does seem tempting but I value my face too much!
 
More from the lottery buying straight from China: bought a Titan razor, cheapest model, arrived in perfect shape, shave ready after stropping, been using it for about ten weeks now, so Hey! why not buy a second Titan razor, more expensive this time in better steel, twice as good? Nope! very shiny Yes! but a wobbly blade, wobbly spine, wobbly edge, not centered in scales by a mile actually landing bang on the right scale, oh well, you can't win them all...
 
matteob said:
Exactly one would be a mug to drop £100 at first instance. As I say I have used a shavette no problems so this is the next step. I would not feel pissed in wasting £20 but I would £100. The guy in Cornwall says he has been honing razors for 50 years and uses these Gold Dollars himself. He seems to to have excellent feedback so as I say when the time comes that seems the best bet.

Master Shifu's finest at £8 does seem tempting but I value my face too much!
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Or get the ZY and have it honed
 
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