DOVO

History DOVO

DOVO Stahlwaren was founded in 1906 in Solingen, Germany. In the beginning, DOVO was a razor factory, forge and sharpening shop. The founders, Mr Dorp and Mr Voos, employed 13 employees. The name Solingen was better protected by a new law in 1938. This allowed the company to achieve increased sales and revenue. Production and sales continued as usual during the Second World War. Fritz Bracht took over the company shortly before the Second World War. Due to the introduction of the electric shaver, Fritz Bracht had to create a second source of income. DOVO also started producing hairdressing scissors. DOVO acquired Merkur in 1996. This makes DOVO Merkur one of the largest producers of classic razors worldwide.

The city of Solingen is known worldwide for the production of cutlery, knives and scissors. All DOVO razors are made by hand with a minimum percentage of 50%.

DOVO straight razors

A straight razor consists of a blade with the edge or fold at one end and the sting at the other end. The blade is clamped between 2 handles: the handle. The basic material of the handle or handle is high-quality plastic, wood or metal. The blade is hollow ground: half or full hollow ground.

The height of the blade is measured in inches (= 2.5 cm). The most common sizes are 5/8"" and 6/8"". A 6/8"" shaver foil is slightly heavier than a 5/8"". That is why 6/8" is slightly more suitable for shaving heavy beard growth. Of course it is a personal preference.

Most blades have a round point or a French point. Blades with a square point are less common. A round point is more forgiving and therefore more suitable for personal use. The razors with a square point are often used by barbers. This allows you to shave the beard contours much more closely.

The basic material for the classic straight razor is soft carbon steel with a carbon content of 1% or stainless steel. Carbon steel is slightly cheaper than stainless steel and is easier to maintain. If the knife is blunt, it is easier to sharpen it yourself again. The advantage of stainless steel is that it does not rust and stays sharp longer. Stainless steel razors are slightly more expensive and if the blade is blunt it is more difficult to sharpen it again.

The DOVO shavette razor

DOVO is the inventor of the shavette razor. The shavette razor shaves like a straight razor. Instead of a fixed shaving foil, you can insert loose, interchangeable single edge razor blades into a shavette. It therefore requires no maintenance, unlike the regular straight razor. Because the shavette is light and easy to handle, it is also suitable for maintaining your beard and shaving the beard contours.

DOVO shavettes are complete shavette sets and consist of the razor and various plastic adapters. With the help of these adapters you can easily insert and replace different single edge blades.