Dovo Bergischer Löwe with Ebony Scales

Dovo History

Founded in 1906, the company DOVO Steelware of Solingen, Germany was originally purely a factory producing straight razors, with a forge and hollow grinding shop employing thirteen workers. The name DOVO derives from the names of the founders of the company, Mr. Dorp and Mr. Voos. As a mark of German craftsmanship, the name "Solingen" enjoys the confidence of the whole world. In order to keep this trust and with it the reputation of the Solingen cutting tools, and to prevent misuse of this name, the German government passed a law in 1938 to protect the name of Solingen. The law makes stipulations relating to the geography of the production area with the intention of protecting regional industry. If an article is manufactured in Solingen but the raw materials (i.e. the blanks) are produced elsewhere, the article may not bear the Solingen name. The law "for the protection of the name of Solingen", distinguishes between so-called hot-forged and the cold-forged items, which do not bear the Solingen mark of quality.

The name Dovo of Solingen, has therefore become synonymous with the Dovo quality standard of German engineering and the hot forged steel processes still used in production of the fine shaving razors listed on this website.