Can you get into straights inexpensively?

For the extra $30 you'll get a Brenda new razor, with a perfectly aligned blade. It won't have any hone wear, which will insure it'll last a lifetime. The scales will be in tip top shape and the blade will center. The Dovo Best also will have a round point, whereas many or most vintage razors will have a spike tip which will draw blood on new straight users. I speak from experience; I have yet to get bitten by my round points, which doesn't hold true for a spike. I do love my vintage razors, but my new one really is exceptionally easy to maintain and holds a wonderful edge.

 

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..." or "No pain, no gain" or "Take the training wheels off, bud!"
- Straight Razor beginner with a spike razor

 

This is the one I learned on. This spike, for some reason, was nasty and bit me, when other spikes wouldn't. I came to resent it and turned him loose to torment someone else

 

I guess I'm lucky. I bought some because they were 1) cheap, and 2) I liked the way they looked, and @DaltonGang honed two for me (I let him pick which). As I've _never used one before_, the width, grind type, and everything else are absolutely meaningless to me. The best I can do is respect the advice of someone who has used and worked with them, and try out his suggestion. That's what you get when you buy a 'sight unseen'. You get something that is shave ready that you can try to find out if it's something you like. There's a good chance that by the time it's dull, the person will have a better idea of what they do and don't want. Or that they simply don't like straight shaving at all.

That's one of the downsides of being *mumble* months/years into doing something. It's really hard to get your mind into the 'how to get started' mindset. In my day job, it happens all the time. I get frustrated trying to explain how to use a program to someone who is seemingly having a hard time understanding that you _do_ have two buttons on the mouse.

 

The good news is either approach can work and the most important thing is to start. It is easy to over-analyze and there is no "right" or "wrong" choice. Just pick whichever appeals to you knowing the pros and cons of each. Starting is the key.

 

Anyone use these strops? Any good? For the 3" width and cloth on back and leather front sounds good. Hardware looks good too.

$55 doesn't sound bad either.

Thoughts?

http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman....CCF21D91949B88612E59AFCB4CCDD.p3plqscsfapp004

 

Well said, Karl! We all have a path to choose, but still have to get off the couch and begin the walk

 

What I have read people like them. I was looking at them myself.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

I would contact this guy. He made my first strop and I still use it. Nice guy!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DrygulchLeatherworks

 

Yeah, Adam IS one of the best! Correction, THE best

 

If I had not pif'd my straights I would have gotten a strop from him.

Yup he is!!

 

A lesson I just learned is get your equipment from reputable sources and not from an individual looking to make a few bucks off what he has laying around. Either from ebay or this group. I will doing now what I should have to begin with and hopefully will have an actual usable razor in my hand before I am too old to learn how.

 

Good strops, I use one.

 

Yup, let those of us who are actually enjoying playing with junkers deal with the unknown. If all you want is a shave ready blade, get it from someone you can trust will pass on a functional device. (It's true for straights, DE's, SE's, and every other kind. @DaltonGang has seen photos of my collection, and he can tell you I have some clangers. But that's okay - they're for fun)

 

The correct answer is...it depends. To start shaving with a SR all you need is a shave ready SR...which can be purchased from a reputable gent for under $50 (used)...and the sky is the limit. Most of my SRs were antique store finds...I think the most I ever paid for an antique store razor was $30... and I have somewhere around 25-30 SRs. Truthfully, you only need one straight razor. (I can't believe I just said that). Two is nice...three and above is just collecting.

It does help to have a strop...and again it depends on how fancy you want to get. I believe you can strop quite well with folded newspaper or a phone book. But if you want to look cool then you need a hanging leather strop and that can run you $50 and upwards...it depends on quality and again, the sky is the limit. Now if you want to hone your own razors...well then -- this will get complicated so stay with me -- you can do it on the cheap or you can do it properly. I hone all my razors (and have from the beginning) with a set of Naniwa stones (1k, 3/8k and 12 k). This will run around $175-$200. But hones are many and varied and can be expensive. Everyone has their own ideas about what is required for honing and there are many combinations that will work just fine. Still, there is nothing like shaving with a straight razor...and for a minimal investment you can join the club...and most important you will be able to hang out with the cool kids. And that is priceless.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As long as is shaves well, that all that matters. Kind of. Well, I should say, as long as it isn't too worn to be honed, so it can shave well, that's all that matters. "Rat Razors" are cool to own and use too.

 

Thanks to a pair of PIFed straights from Fuzzy, I have joined the SR club. For right now, I grabbed a 1x6x14" and made myself a newspaper strop. So far, have done 3 full Face WTG passes and a right side XTG. Going pretty good. Placed an order for a decent strop that should be good enough to get me going but not so much that when I nick it, I will cry .

Thanks to everyone, especially Fuzzy, for the help in my next phase of this hobby.

Sincerely and with much appreciation,
Frank

 

Proceed along the path....and enjoy!!!