How low can you go? Recommend a low cost newb set

I was recently trying to convert a guy and told him he could start wet shaving for as little as $30. That was a from-the-hip number, with no specifics in mind, but it got me thinking. If I want to free the cartridge-captive (and I do!), then I should probably have a specific set to recommend. I figure a "wax on, wax off" approach will win some where a "go read the internet" approach could dissuade the less research-inclined!

I note that the folks at Maggard have a spiffy (and discounted!) beginner's page. I forget who, but one of the shave sites has a "we'll set you up" vintage grab bag. Though not quite under $30, they are under $40.

So , my next thought is to ask "What is your best, low budget recommendation for a beginner?" In this exercise shipping counts as part of the cost, but picking up from a common retailer is free. ("Common retailer" means big name with national coverage, like Walmart and CVS (national), or regional coverage like Food City (KY, TN, VA)) You don't get to PIF them an item for this exercise. You don't get to assume the newb has free shipping through Amazon Prime (but you can count it if the order otherwise qualifies).

When beginners are bitten, they typically do not like to wait, so shipping from overseas should receive some sort of penalty, but I am not sure how to assess it! Maybe shipping is penalty enough...?

That said, here is my rock-bottom entry:
from bestshave.net
razor: $1.99 Yuma (unimpressive quality razor, but delivers a very respectable, mild shave!)
brush: $2.45 Turkish #6
blades: $6.46 skip their sampler, but I think this is a good start on generally well liked blades
.................$1.04 10 pcs Astra SP
.................$2.30 5 pcs PolSilver SI
.................$2.32 10 pcs Wilkinson Sword
.................$0.80 10 pcs Rapira
shipping $7.00 (I only paid $6.07 for shipping in Feb 2014, so I think $7 this is fair)
=====
$17.90

soap: $1.00 Williams from Food City **
=====
$18.90 for a decent newb shave set
(OK,for you Williams haters, Arko stick is $1.95 from Bestshave. It would ride for free, so my total would be $19.85.
But I pick Williams for the contest. Hey, if you are new to shaving, how do you know which camp to join if you don't try it?)

For those who just can't bear the variable ship time from Turkey, here is my set:
razor: $10.99 Utopia on Amazon (includes shipping in the offer)
brush: $ 5.46 Van der Hagen boar
blades: $12.50 from tryablade.com (I coulda cheaped out some, but this is a respectable sampler!)
.................$1.50 10 pcs Astra SP
.................$2.75 5 pcs Feather
.................$2.25 5 pcs Gillette Silver Blue
.................$1.00 5 pcs Personna Lab
.................$3.00 5 pcs Personna Med
.................$2.00 shipping
soap $ 1.00 Williams from Food City
======
$29.95
OK, fellas. There's the bar. Do better. It might not be as easy as it looks!

 

All from Shoebox Shave Shop

Razor $5.99
Lord Racer R314
http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/lord-racer.html

Blades $6.99
King Tut Pak 7 X 2
http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/king-tut-pak-7-x72.html

Soap $2.69
Arko Shave Stick
http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/arko-shave-stick.html

Brush $5.99
SPOKAR - Mixed Boar/Horse Hair Brush - from Czech Republic
http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/spmibohabrfr.html

Subtotal:$21.66
Shipping:$6.29
Total:$27.95

 

I am a new guy and I started for $20 out the door. I got a razor, a brush, 3 sample size pucks of soap, and 2 5 packs of blades. All that through the Wet Shave Club. For new people like me I think it's the way to go. It's a month to month thing with great customer service and it's only 20 bucks to get started. I am not a spokesman for the company or anything just a good deal I found. The soaps were from Stirling and the blades were Gillette Silver Blues and Wilkinson Swords. The brush is just a simple entry level boar hair brush. The razor seems to be similar to a Wieshi from what others have told me. It's a 3 piece razor. I will try to attach a picture.

 

That's a Rimei razor with the new handle if my eyes don't deceive me. Cheap but an excellent mild shaver

 

Yeah, I figured it was low end, but it has been good enough to get me hooked on wet shaving!

 

OK, Wet Shave Club looks like an excellent way to get started. I think a lot of people will enjoy and really benefit from their service. Pretty cool!

I don't think Wet Shave Club (though a great idea!) really fits into the spirit of The Newb Set Challenge, though. You've got a really good starter set, but part of what you are paying for is a service. Also, I suspect the actual cost of the starter order may be subsidized by later orders because I think you may have at least $20 worth of stuff before shipping.

1. Ya done good.
2. Looks like a good club for anybody, but especially beginners.
3. Sorry, but not a valid entry.

... and most importantly...

 

I realize a bowl or mug or bowl is not a true necessity but is nice to have. You can use anything you may have around the house or one of my favorites is this bowl from Walmart, comes in several different colors and are sold individually for $1 a piece. They are a little over 4 inches across and fit nicely in the hand while whipping up your lather.

 

And after your shave you can put cereal in it. Talk about saving time in the morning

 

+1 on the Walmart bowl. I use a red one, works fine.

 

The Salsa bowls from Walmart for a buck fifty work pretty well too. They are plastic so if you drop it, it won't shatter. A plus if you have kids.

 

Doesn't matter how much it costs, all it matters is how good of a shave it gives you

 

Gillette Tech - Fat Handle, gold scratched, but still serviceable - $14.99 shipped
Omega 13522 - $7.50 shipped
Arko - $1
fake Spice from Dollar store - $1
Blades - free because someone will send you Derby blades!

 

GEM Push Button or Micromatic Clog Pruf-- $10 shipped ebay (possibly lower)
10 GEM blades--2.50GBP @ Connaught
Palmolive stick--2.25GBP @ Connaught
Omega 10810--4.50GBP @ Connaught
Shipping--3.20GBP @ Connaught

Total: $31.21

 

Foul ball! No freebies. Otherwise a $24.49 solid hit.

NOTE: I think e-bay is a little shaky for this contest. I assume that the typical newb is ready to jump in and less willing to wait for the deal on e-bay. BUT... some folks are all about the deal, so the bay is fair game.

 

This set from Maggards.
http://www.maggardrazors.com/product/budget-starter-kit/
Substitute the clubman styptic pen for the alum block and it comes in at $29.77 before shipping. All quality products that will serve a newby well for a long, long time.

 

This seems rather US- centric? As all the above is "overseas" for me

I've tried to combine a set here, but it ends in around $46 in total with shipping to the US. Shipping is the least part. The set very much resembles the Maggard kit above. So that's one killer kit for low price!

My conclusion: You guys have access to darn cheap shaving equipment!

 

Excellent point! I think it fair to localize the contest. What set would you recommend to a local newb? You can use whatever currency you like, but it would help the US-centric among us to convert your total to USD!

It's really is all about perspective, isn't it?

 

{BUZZZZ!}
Answer incomplete. However... with a little extra clicking at Maggard... Priority Mail® (USPS): $5.75

Total $35.52

Respectable. Good set. Not the limbo winner.

 

I think the idea of the absolute lowest you can go is a flawed one for a newb. A $2 razor is junk. It will always be junk. A better way to look at it is "how low can I go and still have a truly decent quality? Something that will not only get someone started, but that they will actually enjoy, and not look at as cheap junk. When you pay more for the sample pack of blades than the razor, something's wrong, IMO.
That said, the majority of the suggestions here have been good quality, good price. If you're truly trying to set a newb up, and this is not just an exercise or a "what if" post, then if I were you I'd go back and tell the guy , "Hey, look, $30 is just a guesstimate. Add $5-10 to that and you can come away with something really decent". If he has any sense, that will make sense to him. MHO.

 

Have you used a $2 Yuma? I used mine a couple of days ago. It gives an EXCELLENT shave. It doesn't look like much and would likely break if dropped, but it gives great audio feedback and 2 pass BBS (plus touchups).

The contest is not to set up the lowest cost set possible, but to recommend your lowest cost, good learner's set for a new shaver. Every component in the Turkish hat trick set above has good reviews from many users in more than one place on the net. There are detractors, of course, but what do you see more in this hobby — unanimous agreement or "YMMV?" I think I've already identified the biggest problem with the bestshave.net order: most newb's (in North America) would prefer to NOT wait for the shipping delay.

I'm not really confused about helping someone get started. I ask lots of questions, explain options, and usually set the guy up with a PIF set. For me, the benefit of this contest is seeing what TSDers recommend. So far, I've got a couple of items to put on my wish list. However, I also like to see the thought that goes into the choices and the combinations.

I look forward to your detailed, heartfelt, fully-costed recommendation!