Starter questions, more opinions the better :)
First off, I would like to say that I do not have any razors yet, but am extremely interested in getting one in the next month. After much research, I think I am clear on most things, but have one generic and one specific question.
1. I'm sure this will be a quick answer, but what makes a strop a good quality strop? I'm not asking between 2" or 3", but more so what will last me longer in the long run? If I were hypothetically to have a decent strop form (I will figure out the learning), I want to know what makes a strop worth purchasing, compared to what I should keep my $$ away from.
2. Please forgive me, but I surely hope this not to be the best of brands questions. I'm currently trying to figure out which razor I would like to buy, and have not really got anywhere, after many hours of reading and searching. I know I will purchase one of the following:
A) DOVO: I have seen good and bad things, mostly that they seem a little bit overpriced, and that apparently their older stuff was better. Prior to recently I had my heart set on the bergischer Lowe, but then discovered it had problems with the gold fading and the rubber moving. Regardless, they seem like they could be good or bad.
B) Thieres-Issard: they seem to have mostly good reviews, but most of the negative ones appear to be related to the pivot bolt being problematic on some of them. It seems that they have a good quality blade, but a few have had problems.
C) boker: again, I have heard good and bad things. They seem to be really good all around, and have good reviews, but of the of the ones that are bad, they suggest that they are the worst of the three which makes very little sense to me.
Currently I'm really stuck between the three, but DOVO is looking behind the other two. What I'm looking for is a hopefully unbiased opinion on which will last me the longest, and is produced with the nicest quality.
Just to clarify though, I am NOT looking for which one will give the closest shave, because as far as I can tell, it really will just come down to stropping, honing and shaving technique.
I hope all of what I said is clear and makes sense. I really do hope I'm obeying all the rules and I really do look forward to the answers. I look forward to becoming a straight razor shaver, and to become more involved in the community. Thank you so much for your patience and time.
P.S. please just remember that all of the information I have portrayed is solely based on reading other people's experiences, please correct me on anything that is wrong. I'll be happy to learn the truth:)