Gold Dollar 208

Hey all,

After seeing a picture of the Gold Dollar 208 in one of the threads here, I instantly loved the look of the handle. So after a quick google search I found that this straight could be bought off of ebay for cheap and it had decent reviews. So impulse took over and I placed the opening bid and wound up winning. $13 + free shipping. Here's the kicker, I've never had a straight shave nor have I yet to give myself a DE shave (all my orders are on route). So I figure I just picked up the 208 because I like the look, but I'd also like to use it down the road. So over the course of the coming months I'd like to put together all the necessities for straight shaving.

So please tell me what I need. Where do I begin? A strop? A hone? What are these things? Do I need them?

To begin with you're going to need to get the razor to shave ready condition. As I understand it, the Gold Dollars don't generally arrive anywhere close. (I've heard some say they even need rebeveled, but I have no personal experience here). People who've bought them stock (as opposed to the "shave-ready" one's ruprazor sells) will be able to help you more in this area.


So once your razor is shave ready.

Strop - A strip of leather. These start at $20 (for something worth buying) and go up into the hundreds. At $20 you can get the Filly from ruprazor, I believe shipped free in the US.

Soap - Walmart sells shaving soap, there are a thousand other places to get it.

Brush - Again, Walmart sells these (in the form of a shave kit for ~$7) but it's fairly low quality. There are a lot of options in brushes. Handle size, shape, material. Boar, Badger or Synthetic bristles. Hair knot Diameter, density, bristle length, etc etc etc. I'd get the crappy Walmart brush to start and develop an opinion of it then do research shortly after and buy a better one.

Something to make lather in - A coffee cup would work, really any kind of dish. The Walmart kit includes a small one.

Other things you MAY want... aftershave, styptic pencil. I'll admit the only time I've ever used my styptic was when I took a nibble out of my earlobe by not minding where I was holding the razor and doing something else. Cold water usually stops any minor bleeding I've had. Aftershave is very nice to have, but a lot of the time I don't bother with it. I'd only consider it necessary after a very rough shave.



After several shaves you will need to touch up your razors edge more than the strop can accomplish, and a finishing hone will be needed, but that isn't immediately necessary.

I believe the razor you bought is not shave ready. As suggested you can send it out to be done for a standard fee ($20?) plus postage. If you sent it to Ruprazor he could return it shave ready and with a filly strop ($20). You would then have everything you need (except soap and a brush).

I like the look of the 208 blade (and the performance of the 84 model which is presumably similar) but definitely not the scales (handle) But that's OK - they can be rescaled.

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Check out the links in my sig.

So this razor arrived today. My love for the scales instantly vanished once I saw how cheap and flimsy the plastic was. None the less I have a $13 straight that gets decent reviews. The blade is coated with some kind of oil. How should I clean this? Also how do I know if it is shave ready? I sliced a piece of paper with it very cleanly and easily.

Well let that be the last time you slice paper with a razor then. Testing of other sorts other than hair is mostly out . . . dulls the blade . . . at least that is what I've read.

Have fun.

Mike

TheShaun said:

So this razor arrived today. My love for the scales instantly vanished once I saw how cheap and flimsy the plastic was. None the less I have a $13 straight that gets decent reviews. The blade is coated with some kind of oil. How should I clean this? Also how do I know if it is shave ready? I sliced a piece of paper with it very cleanly and easily.

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Yeah, just take a piece of toilet paper and wipe the oil off if you want, but you'd be better off leaving it and putting it right back in the post to someone for honing. If it was shave ready, slicing paper is a good way to fix that (but don't worry, it wasn't shave ready).

My best advice is for you to spend a lot of time reading this. There really is a lot to learn about straights before just diving into it. If you are interested in recommendations for people to hone it, PM me... I know some guys

I have a Gold Monkey which is the same thing as what you have (China razor). It will certainly need a honing. I honed mine up, I like it, and found it shaves just fine. A good razor for what it it cost so don't hesitate to send it off to for honing. +1 on the previous posts.

I will also add that you should watch some of the youtube videos about straight razor shaving, I found them quite helpful.

I bought a 208 off of Ruprazor for Christmas. Ken did an excellent job honing it and it provides a very nice shave. I think that if you have somebody hone it for you, you will find that it is well worth the money to have them do so. I am new to straight shaving, but I think you made a good choice for you first straight. I would also second the opinion that the Filly Strop from ruprazor is a good choice for a first strop. I have been lucky so far in that I haven't nicked it, but I understand that 99% of new straight users will, and at $20 shipped, you aren't going to find a cheaper strop that will work as well.

I recently received my 208 back from Mainaman after honing and, like my Seraphim custom GD/DAs, it shaves great. I left the cheezy scales on for now, its all about the blade.

I bought one out of curiosity a few months ago and am delightedly surprised. It honed up well and holds an edge like a trouper, the handle is a different story. I should be used to ugly by now (the mirror doesn't lie) but they had to go. I made up a set of scales from some deer antler, pinned it with brass and it is now in my shaving rotation. It does very well, especially considering the price.

TimothyJames said:

I bought one out of curiosity a few months ago and am delightedly surprised. It honed up well and holds an edge like a trouper, the handle is a different story. I should be used to ugly by now (the mirror doesn't lie) but they had to go. I made up a set of scales from some deer antler, pinned it with brass and it is now in my shaving rotation. It does very well, especially considering the price.

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Hi and welcome!
Got a pic of the razor? Sounds pretty cool!

I bought a couple GD 66 razors. They were also my first straight razors. I was looking for a challenge. I wanted to try my hand at honing. Can't beat the $6 price tag!

I can say that they do seem to hold an edge well. I get great comfortable shaves off mine, as long as I don't do anything wrong. I have since re-scaled 2 of them (one with bubinga and one with wenge). They are still ugly razors, just not as ugly as before

You will definitely want to read up a bit before you get going. There is some real good advice above. Have someone else hone it up for you for your first go round.

I have a review of the Gold Dollar 208 (2020 model) here:

rbscebu said:

I have a review of the Gold Dollar 208 (2020 model) here:

Gold Dollar 208 (2020 Model)

One of the better finished plastic scaled models of the standard Gold Dollar straight razors.

www.badgerandblade.com

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Excellent review
I really like listing the Rockwell hardness of the blade. That faux carbon fiber looks nice.

Zig the Pirate said:

Excellent review
I really like listing the Rockwell hardness of the blade. That faux carbon fiber looks nice.

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Thank you but that is just the overview. I will add a review with ratings once I have the 208 in shave-ready condition and have used it a few times.

TheShaun said:

Hey all,

After seeing a picture of the Gold Dollar 208 in one of the threads here, I instantly loved the look of the handle. So after a quick google search I found that this straight could be bought off of ebay for cheap and it had decent reviews. So impulse took over and I placed the opening bid and wound up winning. $13 + free shipping. Here's the kicker, I've never had a straight shave nor have I yet to give myself a DE shave (all my orders are on route). So I figure I just picked up the 208 because I like the look, but I'd also like to use it down the road. So over the course of the coming months I'd like to put together all the necessities for straight shaving.

So please tell me what I need. Where do I begin? A strop? A hone? What are these things? Do I need them?

Click to expand...

DM me your address and I'll send everything you need to start up (minus the razor)

As for advice, spend a little time on here. Everybody is very courteous and helpful.

Zig the Pirate said:

DM me your address and I'll send everything you need to start up (minus the razor)

As for advice, spend a little time on here. Everybody is very courteous and helpful.

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You just replied to a post from January 2010. He might be set up, by now, and he is probably no longer subscribed to this thread, but you can always "@" him to get his attention like this:

@TheShaun did you ever get your shaving kit together?

Slash McCoy said:

You just replied to a post from January 2010. He might be set up, by now, and he is probably no longer subscribed to this thread, but you can always "@" him to get his attention like this:

@TheShaun did you ever get your shaving kit together?

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Oh. I guess I missed that.