Dovo Shavette vs Parker SR1 – Which is best for You?
The most common question my friends ask me when it comes to my work on this website and my reviews in general is “Which Razor should I get?”
This leads me to so much hemming and hawing about handle feel and blade aggressiveness that my Editor is constantly telling me he isn’t made of money when I write 2000 words about how good a razor is.
What my friends actually want to know is “Which is best for me?”
Today I am going to pick out two of my favorite shavettes, and put them head-to-head “Dovo Shavette vs Parker SR1“. This is both a comparison of these two razors, and also a good look at what you should be looking for when it comes to which shavette is best.
Today we are going to look at how they feel in the hand, how easy it is to manipulate the blade mechanism, and how well the razor cuts.
Specifications and Features Comparison
In this corner we have the pride of Germany, the classic straight-edge design, the precision instrument, the Dovo Shavette Razor!
- Dimensions – Closed: 6 inches by 1 inch (152 mm by 24 mm), Open: 9 inches by 1 inch (229 mm by 24 mm).
- Matte silver finish. Optional wood or plastic handles.
- Plastic insert blade holder.
And in the other corner is the solid built heavy-weight, elegantly crafted, the Parker SR1 Shavette!
- Dimensions – Closed 6 inches by 2 inches (152 mm by 48 mm), Open: 9 inches by 2 inches (229 mm by 48 mm).
- Chrome steel finish.
- Three-part clip blade housing.
How Do They Both Feel When Held?
The two razors are very much on two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to how they feel being held.
The Dovo Shavette is light and easy to hold. It has a rubberized grip on the end to make holding the tang of the blade much easier while shaving. The straight edges also mean it is easier to grip and hold when your fingers get soapy and slippery.
The Dovo does have some downsides when it comes to the feel. The handle is hollow and open to allow the blade to be fully enclosed. That means your fingers are going to be gripping along the hollow edge of the metal handle. This can be uncomfortable after a short time. It’s also a smaller profile, so for bigger hands the fingers can feel crowded.
The Parker SR1 is the opposite of the Dovo in that it is a much heavier handle that is solid steel. It feels heavier and more solid. Unlike the Dovo, you can feel the weight of the razor. It feels larger as well, making sure your fingers aren’t crowded on the handle or blade arm.
The trade off on the SR1 is that it definitely doesn’t feel like it can make turns and run over the contours of your face. If the Dovo is a sports car, the SR1 is like a pick-up truck. It’s roomier and does the job just as well, but can be awkward when making delicate turns. The edges of the handle are also rounded off, making it more slippery in your fingers. You are liable to drop it if you don’t have a good grip.
Blade Mechanism Differences
The Dovo and SR1 have two different methods of holding their disposable blades. Your preference on blade holding might clench which version of shavette you would like.
The Dovo uses a plastic insert that closes on either side of the disposable blade to hold it in place. Then you just slide it into the metal housing of the handle to start your shave. The blade is held there by the closed tension of the handle. Luckily the hold is very tight and the blade doesn’t move. Though if the blade housing was bent in one way or another that might make the blade slide out or get stuck in there permanently.
The big part to highlight with the Dovo is that it has a longer proprietary blade holder. The long blade is about as long as the cutting edge on a regular straight razor. There is a secondary plastic holder that can house the normal-sized disposable blades as well, but the Dovo long blades are specifically made for this shavette.
In contrast, the SR1 uses a three-part housing that I call a “fan type.” Basically, the blade arm splits down the middle letting you put the razor blade in place. Then you close it on either side of the blade, and close a clasp to hold everything together. The positive side of this is it can fit almost any regular disposable blade you want to use and does not allow the blade to move at all.
The SR1 clasp does have a pair of major downsides. The corners of the blade are exposed when you are shaving, so it is very easy to accidentally slip and dig one into your skin on accident. If the blade is good and sharp, you may not even notice until you see the whelling of blood on your cheek. Secondly, the blade is highly likely to slip ever so slightly when you are closing the blade arm, leaving it at a strange angle and not straight. This can lead to an uneven shave at best, and an even greater chance to cut yourself at worst.
The Cutting Edge — How Do They Compare When Shaving?
Our final category comes down to the “razors edge” so to speak. How well do either of these razors shave? For the most part, it is going to come down to how good a disposable razor you are using, but there are some ways the Shavettes themselves influence the shave.
The Dovo is a clear superior in this section from my experience. The longer blade and smaller razor profile made it so much easier to shave with. I have never had a closer shave than with the Dovo shavette, and that includes my experience with straight razors.
The angle of the razor housing actually makes it very easy to get the proper angle when shaving, and the longer blade means it can shave away much larger and more even parts of my whiskers. I have yet to get a nick from my Dovo shavette (knock on wood).
The SR1 is another story, though it was not a bad experience. The smaller blade means I have to make more passes, and more passes means more chances to cut myself. Though the smaller blade also means I can get into more nooks and crannies when I am shaving. Parts like around my goatee and my sideburns are much easier to shave.
The edges of the razor are sharp though and I have cut myself more than once with the SR1. Mostly it takes more practice and much more patience with the shave. Though there is a much wider selection of disposable razors I can use for the SR1 because it works with any blade.
Final Thoughts – Which is Best for you — Dovo or Parker SR1 Shavette?
Overall my final verdict isn’t necessarily which is better, but I am sure from the tone of this article you can see which one is my favorite. Obviously, I prefer the Dovo Shavette to the Parker SR1.
I am not so biased though as to not see the faults in the Dovo shavette, especially when comparing it to something like the Parker SR1 and SRX.
Frankly put, one of the biggest thoughts you’ll need to tackle if you are trying to make the choice is whether or not you want to keep buying blades from Dovo, or you want to just use any old blade for the Parker SR1. Dovo blades can get expensive relatively, and if they ever sell out you are up the creek.
Taking that into account, I would say the Dovo Shavette is great if you want to use a longer blade and are willing to buy the longer blades just from one place.
The Parker SR1 is great if you are fine with the short blades, and have larger hands and fingers to really spread your grip out.
Or you can just say the heck with it, buy both, and find out which you love best yourself. I won’t lie to you, I use both on a regular basis.
Treat yourself, my friend! You only live once!
