Thread: New guy with a question about Col. Conk

Hey everybody,

I recently began my quest to learn how to use a straight when I received a Col. Conk razor for my birthday and came upon this place. I've never used one before, but I understand that one should always have quality equipment, no matter what they're doing. However, I couldn't find Col. Ichabod Conk among either list of razor manufacturers that is in the database.
So should I give this thing a shot? Or should I stick to me DE for now and tell my well intentioned friend that I sent it far, far away to be honed??
Any help is appreciated guys.

BTW awesome site you got here.

Col Conk is just a name meaning a retailer. They don't manufacture anything. As I recall their razors are made by Dovo so it should be a quality razor.

Welcome,

I'm not 100% sure, but I think some Col.Conk razors were actually made by DOVO. If this is the case, it's a good razor. Look on the tang, see what it say's. Carbon steel razors are great. The best way is to shave with it. If you've never shaved with a straight razor before, do your homework, check our WIKI here, you'll find it's an excellent source for info. You'll want to be aware of your angle when you shave. If it's not been honed professionally, you may want to have it done. Hopefully, some of the guys that know about these razors will chime in and give you some feedback before you send it out. Check the Vendor's corner and see who's honing razors these days. Shoot them a PM and tell them what you have and get their opinion...Lot's of guys do honing here...
Rich

Thanks alot guys, this will really help me get started. All it says on the tang is "Solingen, made in Germany" over and over, and "Best Quality", but I know from what I've read on the wiki that, that doesn't ensure anything. Thanks again, I'm definitely going to read more into this.

Before you touch your face with that razor be sure to get it honed if its not already!

Pictures would be infinitely helpful. I have a razor that is retailer via Conk, but is manufactured by dovo. It says Best Quality on the blade and has red, translucent scales.

Howdy,

I got this razor as a gift from the "outlaws" and was trying to get more info on it. It's a Col. Ichabod Conk 540B.

The whole package:


The Blade:


The Tang:


Reverse side of Tang:


And box:


I'm brand new at this. I haven't even tried a shave yet (other than my arm), but I've been looking into it for a while. I guess they picked up on my interest and decided to buy me a razor for Christmas... What do you think? I'm going to try it out anyways, I just wanted to see what people thought about this razor.

Thanks and this is a great site. I've been on it and hooked for the past couple of days now. SOO much information.

Thanks again,
Mat

Originally Posted by sammy

Thanks alot guys, this will really help me get started. All it says on the tang is "Solingen, made in Germany" over and over, and "Best Quality", but I know from what I've read on the wiki that, that doesn't ensure anything. Thanks again, I'm definitely going to read more into this.

Sounds like a Dovo Best Quality to me...

Got pictures?


Edit: Saw there were pictures above my post: That is, almost definitely, a Dovo Best Quality. It match the DBQ I own almost exactly, only they have Col. Conk stamped over the tang where mine says DOVO. I think you have a keeper. Definitely. also, if it says Solingougen, that is pretty much always a good sign of quality

Edit Edit: Also, the box is the exact same as my DBQ only the stickers have been swapped out

Edit edit edit: (Damn I need to write a list of thoughts before posting a partial thought...) My DBQ came packaged in the exact same wax paper.... What all these edits are to say is that if it that closely resembles a DBQ, it probably is one.

Happy Shaving

The razor is a Dovo, and while the factory claims that the razors come shave-ready, they are, in fact, not shave ready in the real-world sense of the word. True, you can shave with them, but it won't be as comfortable a shave as it should be. My advice is to have it honed by one of the honemeisters here befor trying to shave with it. If you don't have it properly honed, your shaves will not be as good as they should be and you might get turned off to shaving with a straight, and that would be a shame.

now you guys have got me thinking...i have seen the col conk and also i have seen the fromm and both look exactly alike...are they both made by dovo? the fromm i saw had the words printed on the tang rather than stamped. both looked like they could be brought up to speed rather quickly and seem to be made of good metal...