The way its angled it doesn't seem like it strops correctly. It doesn't get sharp enough, it pulls the hairs when shaving and does not cut them efficiently.

Product was not shave ready and needs to be honed well. While honing I tested the edge using the 'black marker test' and it failed in several spots on each side of the blade. Meaning the edge was not making contact on the sharpening stone. One side it was on both the toe and the heel while on the other it was on the toe. Since the item is not returnable, it needs a lot of work to level out the spots on the spine to be able to set the bevel and get an edge across the whole blade. This is not a knock on the seller since the product is made in China and its probably hit or miss with respect to blade quality and precision. Be prepared to do a lot of work to hone it. For the cost of$48 with shipping, you would we be better off spending any extra $30 and go with a low-end reputable brand name razor. It still may need to be honed but the blade will be better quality. I thought I would like the scales. It looks nice, and made out of metal but it is thick and heavy, but it really does not feel as comfortable to hold as traditional straight scales are and need to use different technique to strop it. At least it will give me practice on trying to correct blade issues. If your really interested in getting a straight razor you should contact a retailer who owns a shop to help you decide what is best for you. Of course if your experienced, you would know the good razors from the cheaper ones and you know what you might be getting into. I am just starting out but I am learning. Happy Shaving!

This was my first straight razor. I had been using a safety razor for quite some time and was looking to dive into the straight razor realm. Given the reviews on this one, combined with the great price, I decided to give it a go. It arrived shave ready. It was sharp straight out of the box. I will say, using a straight razor for the first time is a harrowing experience, but it was great. It gave me an incredibly close shave. My wife even said it seemed like my shave was closer than others.

Note: My razor did not look like the one pictured. I still love the appearance of mine; however, don't be surprised if what you get looks slightly different. I'm attaching a picture of mine.

For the price, I couldn't be happier.

BlackAF Shave Ready Straight Razor in Stainless BOG, is a great straight razor. I was looking for my first one to start using a straight razor. I looked at a lot of them and then I saw this one. What made me chose this one is that it is shave ready, which means it already has an edge on it so you can shave with it right out of the box. However, the best reason I chose to buy this one is it is made by former vets. Thank you for your service! The razor was well packaged in the chrome case and a storage pouch. The razor was well worth the cost! I have used it a couple of times and it is very well made! I definitely will be buying from BlackAF in the future.

I have a disposable shavette razor and always wanted a straight edge razor. I have purchased 2 Chinese razors that were "shave ready" but only sharp enough to be a good knife. I read some reviews on the BOG razor and decided to buy it. It shipped fast and arrived on the first day of the expected to arrive days. As soon as I got it in the mail I tested it with the hanging hair test. Then I used it in a shave without stropping. It shaved great. This is what I expected with a shave ready razor. Just goes to show that great products don't always cost large sums of money.