Gold Dollar W60 French Point Straight Razor Review

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Aureate Dollar tries to learn French - A GD W60 review

• Thread starter PrairieWolf42
• Start engagement Feb 21, 2019

• #1

Ah, the Gilt Dollar, the go-to directly razor of the beginner and the budget minded. At every bit petty every bit $5 bucks a slice, the GD66 and others are a trusted starting razor with a reputation of beingness... Practiced enough.

But what nearly their higher end stuff? With fancy razors popping upwardly from the Chinese maker, it's tempting to drop the $30-$50 for one of them and endeavor it out.

I vicious for the temptation and grabbed up a GD W60. The $30 razor is described equally a French Tip, though every bit far as my uneducated heart can tell... It'south not. But permit my long winded entry thus far exist brief from hither.

The razor itself isn't bad in the hand. The wooden scales feel cheap and calorie-free, and the pointed tip of the scales at the joint with the razor information technology slightly awkward in the hand.

Merely the razor? This affair hones super easy. The shorter blade lends itself to a very like shooting fish in a barrel time in getting the job done. I had a wonderful shaving edge - from 1k-3k-8k-12k to stropped in well-nigh 45 minutes. So honing ease goes equally a pro.

Only the precipitous con comes adjacent. The razor shaves like a Gold Dollar -- which is expert! But that tip... That wicked false French Tip... That thing is just patently dangerous. I was conscientious... But manifestly not conscientious enough equally I concluded upward with an inch long cutting on my cheek after the start pass. A down stroke landed the very unforgiving top into my cheek and made a shallow cut from there.

That'southward partially on me, and a flawed technique no uncertainty. Notwithstanding I plan to round off the tip with a Dremel when I get the chance.

Pros:

- Cool pattern
- Straight bract and shorter body brand it super easy to hone
- Steel takes a not bad edge
- $xxx for a modernistic, cool looking razor
- In one case tip is rounded it will brand a great shaver.

Cons:

- Sharp tip makes for a tricky shave
- Needs to be honed
- Bad-mannered wooden scales

Score:

Shaving: 4/ten (loses points for the tip)
Honing: nine/10
Looks: 8/x
Holds Border: TBD
Affordability: 7/10
Overall: 7/ten

Decision: It's a cool gold dollar. Simply like any GD of you are willing to put in the work it will be a solid razor.

Concluding edited: Feb 21, 2019

• #two

Nice review, I've been curious near that ane, simply had never pulled the trigger. Sorry most the cut, hopefully information technology was pretty shallow! Thanks!

• #3

I mute the points on all of my razors. One thing yous left out of your review IMO is comparison to another brand new razor in the $thirty range shipped. The only ones are GDs. So that counts for something. Comparison it to a $200 razor which is over 6x the price isn't even off-white. Lol.

• Thread starter
• #4

I mute the points on all of my razors. One thing y'all left out of your review IMO is comparing to another make new razor in the $xxx range shipped. The merely ones are GDs. So that counts for something. Comparison it to a $200 razor which is over 6x the price isn't even fair. Lol.

That's a fair point. I mean, I've never owned a $200 razor, but even so, I wouldn't compare a GD to one of my adept Torreys or a Wade and Butcher.

Just well-nigh every review I do is based on a budget shave slice. Be it a vintage razor, a cost constructive soap, or a budget friendly brush.

Long story brusk, this review isn't meant to compare the razor the a Dovo or other modern $200 razor. For one, yous can't do it. And 2nd, I have no experience with that price point.

• #v

just mute the tip, rub corner on a mirror softly one time or twice or rub on the sode of your stones (if that is what you are using)

how brusk is the edge?

looks like a variation on a french tip, not so much a faux one.

looks like a good razor on a upkeep. even a fasten point is gonna seize with teeth, simply the spiked french signal tin get lost in soap.

• #6

That's a fair point. I mean, I've never owned a $200 razor, but fifty-fifty and so, I wouldn't compare a GD to ane of my adept Torreys or a Wade and Butcher.

Just nearly every review I practise is based on a budget shave piece. Be it a vintage razor, a cost effective soap, or a budget friendly brush.

Long story brusk, this review isn't meant to compare the razor the a Dovo or other modern $200 razor. For ane, you can't do it. And 2d, I take no experience with that price point.

I hear ya man! Some guys don't want used though (I don't mind) so that's the ticket for bargain straights.

• #7

You but need to edgeless the tip, not Dremel it. All you demand to do is set the tip of the edge itself on the side of a hone at a 45 degree angle and elevate information technology on the stone an inch or two. There's very little material removal required to an edge to be as safe as a round point. A 45 degree grind of just the polished edge itself is all yous demand.

You actually have a pretty big polished bevel. Do a 45 on one-half of information technology to the edge itself and y'all're good. I'll hang a pic in a second

If you full size the pic, all yous need to take off/dull is the chip I fat fingered in black.

Last edited: Feb 21, 2019

• Thread starter
• #8

Y'all just demand to blunt the tip, non Dremel it. All you need to do is set the tip of the edge itself on the side of a hone at a 45 degree angle and elevate it on the stone an inch or 2. There's very little textile removal required to an edge to exist as prophylactic equally a round point. A 45 caste grind of just the polished edge itself is all you need.

You lot really accept a pretty large polished bevel. Practise a 45 on half of it to the edge itself and you lot're practiced. I'll hang a pic in a 2d

If you lot full size the pic, all you need to accept off/dull is the bit I fatty fingered in black.

View attachment 955211

Great advice! It looks similar you'd however have enough razor border on the finish to still practise precision touch ups likewise.

Every bit for the polished bevel, I had to remove quite a bit of steel to finally become the bur I wanted to prepare the bevel. From there information technology was a like shooting fish in a barrel.

• #nine

Yep, it works a treat, and what I've done to my kamisori.

Not a ding on your strop piece of work, it's make clean and even, you simply accept a big bevel edge. My normal advice is to take the whole corner of the askew edge off. Yours looks big enough to have maybe half off is all I'm trying to say.

And once you do, y'all may want/demand to rehone/finish the tip to remove whatever burrs/fins at that transitions. Should last a good 10 yrs too

• #x

My beef with this model is the shank is not rectangular shaped like nearly straights. It has more of a rounded/oval contour, which makes stropping a hurting. Makes it hard to flip in your fingers while stropping.

• Thread starter
• #11

UPDATE: Finally had some time for a straight razor shave and grabbed the GD W60 with the now muted tip.

This razor has turned into what is typical of a properly honed Gold Dollar: A reliable shaver.

I will say the fact remains, this was the easiest honing razor I've worked on - both new and vintage (both of which are express in number for my experience, I'll acknowledge.)

Yet... It was a good shave!

• #12

• #13

Steve56

Enquire me almost shaving naked!

I only have one of the newer 'fancy' models. It's a differently shaped 66 with even worse scales than the standard models, if that can exist imagined. Until I got it, I could not imagine worse scales than the standard Gilded Dollars.

The scales are like two square-sided surfboards with a barbell weight between them. The affair is 1/two" broad. Await out Alfredo, Master Shifu is coming for yous!

Cheers, Steve

• #14

View zipper 963340

I only have one of the newer 'fancy' models. It'southward a differently shaped 66 with fifty-fifty worse scales than the standard models, if that tin can exist imagined. Until I got it, I could not imagine worse scales than the standard Gold Dollars.

The scales are similar two square-sided surfboards with a barbell weight between them. The thing is 1/2" wide. Await out Alfredo, Principal Shifu is coming for you!

Cheers, Steve

Looks similar you have the W59, the aforementioned as the bottom pic I put up in my previous mail service. Agree about the scales, mine broke after the first tap with the peen hammer, and so I replaced information technology with perspex. Shaves like a dream later some extensive honing, looks proficient from a altitude, only that'south almost as much equally you can say about them. Call back they shave amend than the 66 because the spines are thinner, resulting in a ameliorate bevel angle.

• #15

Steve56

Inquire me most shaving naked!

I'll accept the 208 any mean solar day over this one. It handles like a 66 and costs 3x a 208.

• #16

Gds are low frill functional razors. They're inexpensive. I know the newer models aren't as inexpensive as the older models. Merely if you lot want something "flawless" your gonna have to buy something else!

• #17

View attachment 963340

I only accept 1 of the newer 'fancy' models. It's a differently shaped 66 with fifty-fifty worse scales than the standard models, if that can exist imagined. Until I got it, I could not imagine worse scales than the standard Gilt Dollars.

The scales are like ii square-sided surfboards with a barbell weight betwixt them. The thing is ane/2" wide. Expect out Alfredo, Master Shifu is coming for you!

Thank you, Steve

My Aureate Dollar due west 59 honed up super piece of cake,super precipitous, skillful shave.A flake catchy due to the metal on the end third stop being thinner than my TIs,only laying the blade flatter solves that on ane place.Takes a fleck of concentration stropping,can just shave with ane finger by tang.Scales fine,lovely looking razor. It made a screetching audio when honing at odd times reminded me of a couple of Dovos of mine same grind, metal ?My TIs never screech but are much more hard to strop.

• #18

My Gold Dollar w 59 honed up super like shooting fish in a barrel,super precipitous, good shave.A bit catchy due to the metal on the end third terminate being thinner than my TIs,just laying the blade flatter solves that on one place.Takes a fleck of concentration stropping,tin only shave with one finger past tang.Scales fine,lovely looking razor. Information technology made a screetching sound when honing at odd times reminded me of a couple of Dovos of mine aforementioned grind, metal ?My TIs never screech but are much more difficult to hone.

TI razors but take a lot longer to hone not more hard ,if you know what your doing.

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