DOVO Bizmark Straight Razor with Ebony Wood Handle 6/8''

Not sure why “sheerness” is a category description for a razor. But if it means sharp, than yes it is that. This is the fifth straight razor I have purchased in a year. The first was a new super cheap zertone. The others were really cool vintage razors I bought for my sons. Each of them needed honing before they were shave-ready, except the Dovo.I would have been quite disappointed had it needed honing since it is 10x the price of the Zertone. I stopped it about 15 - 20 strokes before using and got the most comfortable shave I have had with a straight razor.I love the look and the precision in its design and build. It screams quality. I would recommend it to anyone with a bit of experience using a straight razor, not really to beginners. It could be considered “too sharp” and too big for beginners. Though, it is the same size as the $17 Zertone that I learned with, so go for it!

This razor exceeded my expectations. I have an older Valor razor which has seen better days. I purchased the Bismarck blade after much research. First it is made in Germany. They produce Some of the best blades on earth. It was a bit pricy but most items of top quality are. Right out of the box I was able to shave with it. I did throw the strop to it and man this blade is nice! I’d recommend it to anyone looking to invest in a top quality straight razor.

I can't agree with reviewers that it comes completely dull and is not shave ready. I used it "as is" first time and was able to achieve almost perfect clean shaving in 3 passes. While it was OK, I thought that I'd need to make it sharper. I stropped it heavily with and without paste using a very fine and rather expensive strop. Probably too hard, because I've got a couple of blemishes (~0.2 mm) on the edge, but my purpose was achieved - I can do a very good quality clean shaving in one pass only.It also looks and feels very good. Some reviewers mentioned a cheap box that comes with the razor, but I can care less about that, and don't think that it should be a differentiating factor for anyone who is looking for a decent blade quality, which this product surely has.Bottom line: you don't need honing, just do some stropping, but be careful with the force you apply. I've learned hard way that stropping is an art, just like honing and requires some skills and balance.

I've been shaving with the Bismark for about two weeks now and couldn't be more pleased. It is a beautiful razor, hand-made, and very easy to shave with.Mine was not really shave ready. Oh, it would cut hair out of the box, but it would have been a pretty uncomfortable shave. Stropping alone was not enough for me. I gave it 10 laps on a 8000 grit stone, followed by 20 on a 12,000 grit stone before stropping it again. The lack of a defined shoulder is not an issue when honing and I find that I actually prefer this design both in looks, and it ease of use. It now cuts like a hot knife through butter.Anyone looking for a great shave should definitely consider the Bismark.

This is a beautiful razor. Very sturdy, wonderful craftsmanship and quality.

I have a coarse, thick beard and found this ready to shave out of the box after stropping. You have to use care with the flexibility of the blade not to use much pressure when shaving. The 6/8” height and design works great for larger hands like mine and I like the shoulder-less design for hard to reach areas.

I cannot imagine another razor out there that is of higher quality than this one. It arrived shave ready. I've used it for a few weeks now with frequent lapping on genuine leather with chromium oxide paste. It holds its cutting edge pretty well. To hone it (assuming the blade is not chipped or nicked), I recommend my 4-step series of professional whetstones (ending with the super-fine 12k-grit for the luxury finish):(1) Naniwa Chosera 3000 grit(2) Naniwa Chosera 5000 grit(3) Naniwa Snow White 8000 grit(4) Naniwa SuperStone 12000 grit

Blade is definitely not shave ready - super dull, pulls on my hair or does not even connect to it, and irritates my skin if i press down harder