Hey. I found this site that sells really cheap straight razor. Do you recognise any of the brands and do you have any experience with them? http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Straight-Razor/403102_210993533.html
The shavette razors that use DE blades are ok and the price seems good, but as far as the traditional straights they offer, stay far, far away from them. They are Pakistani blades that won't take/keep an edge. In other words they are pure junk.
Yes, I was Eripped with a Pakistani razor. So to make lemonade out of a lemon I figured I'd practice hone it. Well... I honed and checked it with a 30x magnifier could see the edge literally flaking off. STAY AWAY FROM Pakistani razors if you want a "shavable razor".
I am convinced that there is no real cheap way to get into straight shaving. Even if you acquire a modestly priced entry level set, you will most certainly go on to spend huge amounts of money chasing the perfect shave. We all have done it. Most of us have enjoyed every minute of the ride. What ever you do, just know that money cannot buy the perfect shave, only practice and experience will result it the perfect shave. Welcome to our hobby!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think whippeddog is the cheapest most reliable way to get a straight razor. Check them out. I personally have really been enjoying the ease of shavettes lately. Zero maintenance is a real plus for me. I have a sanguine shavette, and one of the new parker push types. Both give good shaves. I also really like my vintage Weck hair shaper I got off ebay. Use personna hair shper blade I get from Sally's Beauty supply. Those blades last a while but are more expensive.
The non shavettes were straights from China, not Pakistan. Straights from Pakistan are to be avoided. Some people who modify razors can take the Chinese Gold Dollar and grind down the spine and shoulders and basically remake and hone the razor. Gold Dollars can go as cheap as $4, but aren't shave ready by any means without someone "fixing" the piece of metal you've bought. I have one Gold Dollar that Seraphim on badgerandblade added scales and reshaped and honed the blade. It shave pretty well, but not like my vintage Dovo, Bartmanns, ERNs, Henckels,etc. So steer away from Chinese and Pakistani blades. Pay for a decent straight from Larry at whippeddog for cheap that's shave ready or check out the buy sell trade on more straight razor oriented forums like badgerandblade or straightrazorplace or buy new from straightrazordesigns or vintageblades or buy a restored blade from Glen Mercurio, http;///www.gemstarcustoms.com, etc.
