I know there are a dozen or more threads about "whats the right razor for me" but I am going to start another one. After a good six months of using a DE/SE razor, I would like to progress towards my ultimate goal of a straight razor. I would like to keep my initial investment under $100 dollars and keep it fairly simple. My initial thoughts are the razor/strop combo from Ruprazors. I am certain I could get a better(cheaper, higher quality razor) deal from stalking ebay and the assorted forums waiting for my right moment to strike...but at this point in time I am not interested in that. When I get to the point where I want to hone my own razors, I'm sure I will try to find some vintage razors that need a little tender loving care. So, my basic question is this: is there is a better/easier deal out there than the rup razor starter combo?
Its a very good start that will provide you with all you need in the short term. I started out with a Wapi and purchase a strop separately. Two weeks later, purchase a barbers hone thinking I could freshen the razor up. That didn't work out and I purchase a Norton 4k/8k combo stone and a 12k Chinese hone. Had to send it off to get it honed because I was making a mess of the wapi. Bought a cheap razor off ebay and practiced (still have that razor). It was learning experience that I wouldn't trade. Not the most efficient, but the initial journey was fun. Kind regards,
Short answer: No, I don't think so. I've got two Gold Dollars of the type that come with Kenrup's starter kit and can vouch for their usefulness as shavers. While I've never handled one the strops, it certainly looks well made and functional. Figuring $30 for the strop and $20 for the razor (Ebay price) , Kenrup is charging you about $20 to tune the razor up, and deliver the kit to your door for a total cost of less than $100. That's a good deal. Best Regards goshawk
I have never used a Gold Dollar or Filly strop. However, I know firsthand that Ken knows how to put a good edge on a razor. Tony Miller even recommends the strop. The Gold Dollar gets enough good feedback that I would believe that its worth every penny. I believe Ken also provides a 3 month honing service for just shipping charges which is a must because you are probably going to mess the edge up from an asst of things until you learn. When I first started straights I went the route of trying to save some money and find a good deal on the BST of another forum. The razor I bought was listed as shave ready, but clearly was not. So I had to spend another 20 dollars to get it honed by a pro. I had a 50 dollar credit with a vendor and got the Illinois 827 strop and the leather shrunk and warped after 2 months. If I had it to do over I would have either bought this kit,or bought a vintage straight razor from a reputable person known for their honing abilities. Ive seen some good ones for 50-70 dollars. Some of the guys will even hone it again for you for free if you mess up the edge. You can always buy the Filly strop separately A bargain these days on Ebay is tough. Even if you do purchase a razor on ebay for 20 dollars, it will probably need to be repinned, cleaned up a bit, and honed which will run you about 60 dollars
