Gold Dollar W53 Straight Razor 6/8", Blood Sandalwood Handle

FANTASTIC W53

I have been using this razor on and off for about a year now and realized that I forgot to leave a review. First of all I left a 1 star review about a year and a half ago for the w99 gold dollar razor. That was my first and only negative experience with gold dollar. Fendrihan was quick to refund that blade and I got this one to replace it. It is the same razor except for the scales. Same very hard blade, but this one does not crumble when taken to 10,000 grit and up. I've honed this one up to 15,000 grit and it holds the edge wonderfully well. The whiskers pop on contact and if not for the audible sound you wouldn't believe it was even touching the face. Very smooth shave results. Honing was started at 400 diamond plate to reset bevel and correct geometry issues before progressing up thru 600, 1000, 3000, 5000, 8000, 10 000, and finishing at 15 000 grit. Increasing to finer lapping film and pasted strop was definitely not worth it. Can't really explain the feedback feel you get from the blade once you reach 8000 grit and beyond, but you can kind-of feel how the edge is responding and wether it will become too sharp and harsh when pushed to the extreme. Linen and leather stropping for a final finish and this baby is top shelf. Takes longer to hone due to the hardness of the steel. I'm convinced that this is a different blend of steel from the other Gold Dollar blades just because of the shear time it takes to progress from 1 stone to the next when looking at scratch patterns. Edge retention is another reason why i believe this steel is different. Gold Dollar's hold an edge well on all their blades, but this razor seems to exceed all others in my collection regardless of brand. If you are capable of honing up a straight razor yourself, the time is well worth investing into one of these. Happy that I didn't give up on Gold Dollar and purchased this one. May get 6 more and ingrave day of the week to make a set. Can't possibly live long enough to justify my shave collection as it is, so I might as well keep it going. This isn't an obsession, it's a hobby. Say it enough and maybe it will sound convincing. I recommend buying the W53. Fendrihan customer service will make it right if it is defective. Gold Dollar W53 5 stars because it honesty shaves better than my 8/8 inch $,$$$.00 priced German razor that I tell myself is worth it because...well look at it. Fendrihan 5 stars Because they have earned it.