Discussion Thread for 5/8 Dovo Desert Ironwood - Stainless Steel Review...
- Thread starter joel
- Start date
Very interesting review. I think the price is due to the desert ironwood. Anything with that wood in the handle seems to command a high price. It's a great wood to work with for sure, you don't need to seal the wood or oil it or use any fancy finishes, just sand it and polish it as is, and it's sort of rare, making it more expensive. But personally, I don't see what the fuss is about. It's a nice wood, but there are lots of nice kinds of wood out there, which cost much less.
I totally agree with the "less is more" philosophy. "Plain" looking, no-nonsense shaving tools are what I like best too. Beauty in simplicity. I feel the same way about many things. As long as the item is well crafted and of reasonably high quality, I prefer the toned down look as opposed to the gaudy look. Gold and file patterns and etchings and inlays and whatnot just makes it look like a piece of jewelry or a display piece, not something I would use for anything serious.
Just my 2 cents.
I totally agree with the "less is more" philosophy. "Plain" looking, no-nonsense shaving tools are what I like best too. Beauty in simplicity. I feel the same way about many things. As long as the item is well crafted and of reasonably high quality, I prefer the toned down look as opposed to the gaudy look. Gold and file patterns and etchings and inlays and whatnot just makes it look like a piece of jewelry or a display piece, not something I would use for anything serious.
Just my 2 cents.
- Thread starter
- #3
Hello and welcome!
Just as an FYI... desert ironwood is not nearly as expensive as you'd think. Check THIS SITE out for instance. Not only is it incredibly inexpensive, but it is MUCH nicer looking Desert Ironwood. If you look around on the net, you can find some mighty nice desert ironwood for well under $20. Try to find genuine MOP however, in single pieces large enough to make razor scales out of, and you'll be stunned... IF you can even find it. For MOP, I can justify the big price (as you must also consider, when working with MOP you have to use a respirator, as Silica is HIGHLY dangerous to the lungs) so the lofty cost, danger, and difficulty of dealing with genuine MOP, justifies the $190 asking price for it.... but the Desert Ironwood? Just leaves me
Yes, the prices on that site are very good indeed. The place where I purchased the desert ironwood I used charged more than twice that. Of course, I don't live in the US, so maybe that is part of it too. Everything seems to become a lot more expensive when it has to travel half way around the world...
I wouldn't want to work with "exotic hardwoods" without at least some kind of protection against inhaling the dust either, because some types of wood have allergenic dust, and some is even toxic. But yes, Mother of Pearl would justify the high price for sure.
I wouldn't want to work with "exotic hardwoods" without at least some kind of protection against inhaling the dust either, because some types of wood have allergenic dust, and some is even toxic. But yes, Mother of Pearl would justify the high price for sure.
Joel, your comments about Dovo quality are quite interesting.
I have a Fritz Bracht Dovo SS (which I purchased brand new) - while the blade has the same "41" numbering as the current production, I think the grind and size are a little different from current production. The razor is a great shaver, but the scales are mediocre (very plain, cheap looking).
I also got a very gently used 5/8 Swedish steel classic special - this razor was basically brand new when I got it, but it was pinned so poorly/lopsided that the blade rubbed the scales - making it impossible to use as every time you closed the razor you ruined the edge. Since I wasn't the original owner, I couldn't send the razor back - so I had it rescaled - only to discover that there is a slight warp in the blade that has made it very difficult to get a good edge on the tip - I've had to spend a lot of time on the hones to even get it to the point where its approaching shaving sharp. Other members of SRP have had similar problems with this particular model of razor - so this doesn't appear to be an isolated case or an issue of my honing (in)ability. In an attempt to get my money out of this razor, I've decided to send it to someone with better honing skills than I have in the hopes that they can put a proper edge on this razor.
Overall, while my experience with Dovos is very limited, I'm not especially impressed with the overall quality of the two I own and really don't see myself buying any more in the future - especially when I can get a nice refurbished razor in shave-ready condition for the same price or less than a new Dovo.
I have a Fritz Bracht Dovo SS (which I purchased brand new) - while the blade has the same "41" numbering as the current production, I think the grind and size are a little different from current production. The razor is a great shaver, but the scales are mediocre (very plain, cheap looking).
I also got a very gently used 5/8 Swedish steel classic special - this razor was basically brand new when I got it, but it was pinned so poorly/lopsided that the blade rubbed the scales - making it impossible to use as every time you closed the razor you ruined the edge. Since I wasn't the original owner, I couldn't send the razor back - so I had it rescaled - only to discover that there is a slight warp in the blade that has made it very difficult to get a good edge on the tip - I've had to spend a lot of time on the hones to even get it to the point where its approaching shaving sharp. Other members of SRP have had similar problems with this particular model of razor - so this doesn't appear to be an isolated case or an issue of my honing (in)ability. In an attempt to get my money out of this razor, I've decided to send it to someone with better honing skills than I have in the hopes that they can put a proper edge on this razor.
Overall, while my experience with Dovos is very limited, I'm not especially impressed with the overall quality of the two I own and really don't see myself buying any more in the future - especially when I can get a nice refurbished razor in shave-ready condition for the same price or less than a new Dovo.
Joel...
I agree that the specific set of ironwood scales on the razor that was pictured are unremarkable. It also looks like there was not a lot of effort put into the finish of the wood. It is pretty common and unveined. In addition, I don't think I'd pay $190 for any Dovo, even with my scales on it
... but that's just me.
I did see that the scales were lined. I'm not sure why they did that. Desert ironwood usually is strong enough to stand up on its own. I only use liners for weaker or less stable materials. However, I'm sure the liners added a little to the cost.
I checked out the link to the desert ironwood site, and didn't care too much for what was currently offered there, either. Notice that the exhibition grade pieces didn't have prices attached. They are more than $16, I can guarantee.
Where my opinion strays, is over price and appearance. Although some scales can get carried away with "gaudy", some touches are what sets one razor apart from another. I have been very guilty, myself, in regard to fluffing up a set of scales.
But to me there is nothing at all appealing with a set of plain black or white plastic scales. I guess it's never bothered me to get some use out of something just because the intent behind its creation was to be on the fancy side. (I have a $4,000 shotgun that looks too pretty to pick up and I have put over 10,000 rounds through it.)
Desert ironwood starts to get expensive when it develops a pattern and gold colored layers. It is one of my favorite stand-alone woods, if it is a good specimen. I have paid upwards of a 50 dollar bill on a single set of scales... and that's before it even saw my workbench or a saw blade.
A nice example of the DI I am referring to is here...
I took that set from a 7-inch quarter-log of DI that was about a foot long. I spent $45 on the wood then 2 hours time, and thrashed a new band saw blade to harvest 12 sets of scales. Rectangular scales. I still have to cut them to shape, sand and polish and then install them on the razor. So, I will patiently wait in line for those $35 scales you were talking about if they look like the ones in my pic.
(attempt at humor)
Working with these woods really needs a respirator, for sure. That was good advice.
I agree that the specific set of ironwood scales on the razor that was pictured are unremarkable. It also looks like there was not a lot of effort put into the finish of the wood. It is pretty common and unveined. In addition, I don't think I'd pay $190 for any Dovo, even with my scales on it
... but that's just me. I did see that the scales were lined. I'm not sure why they did that. Desert ironwood usually is strong enough to stand up on its own. I only use liners for weaker or less stable materials. However, I'm sure the liners added a little to the cost.
I checked out the link to the desert ironwood site, and didn't care too much for what was currently offered there, either. Notice that the exhibition grade pieces didn't have prices attached. They are more than $16, I can guarantee.
Where my opinion strays, is over price and appearance. Although some scales can get carried away with "gaudy", some touches are what sets one razor apart from another. I have been very guilty, myself, in regard to fluffing up a set of scales.
But to me there is nothing at all appealing with a set of plain black or white plastic scales. I guess it's never bothered me to get some use out of something just because the intent behind its creation was to be on the fancy side. (I have a $4,000 shotgun that looks too pretty to pick up and I have put over 10,000 rounds through it.)
Desert ironwood starts to get expensive when it develops a pattern and gold colored layers. It is one of my favorite stand-alone woods, if it is a good specimen. I have paid upwards of a 50 dollar bill on a single set of scales... and that's before it even saw my workbench or a saw blade.
A nice example of the DI I am referring to is here...
I took that set from a 7-inch quarter-log of DI that was about a foot long. I spent $45 on the wood then 2 hours time, and thrashed a new band saw blade to harvest 12 sets of scales. Rectangular scales. I still have to cut them to shape, sand and polish and then install them on the razor. So, I will patiently wait in line for those $35 scales you were talking about if they look like the ones in my pic.
(attempt at humor) Working with these woods really needs a respirator, for sure. That was good advice.
Hello and welcome!
Just as an FYI... desert ironwood is not nearly as expensive as you'd think. Check THIS SITE out for instance. Not only is it incredibly inexpensive, but it is MUCH nicer looking Desert Ironwood. If you look around on the net, you can find some mighty nice desert ironwood for well under $20. Try to find genuine MOP however, in single pieces large enough to make razor scales out of, and you'll be stunned... IF you can even find it. For MOP, I can justify the big price (as you must also consider, when working with MOP you have to use a respirator, as Silica is HIGHLY dangerous to the lungs) so the lofty cost, danger, and difficulty of dealing with genuine MOP, justifies the $190 asking price for it.... but the Desert Ironwood? Just leaves me
Hey, Joel:
I read your review on my desertwood....
Do you think classicshaving.com will give me my money back?
Or should I just kill myself?
Hey, Joel:
I read your review on my desertwood....
Do you think classicshaving.com will give me my money back?
Or should I just kill myself?
If they haven't shipped it out yet, ask them if its possible to cancel or change your order. Alternatively, you can always return it to them. The return policy seems pretty hassle free.
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