Help Navigating Classifieds/Other Places to Buy 1st Razor

Hi all,

I've been shaving with a DE for about a year now and this summer I was interested in messing around (in a safe way) with a straight razor. Therefore, I have already procured things like a brush, soap, and mug, so I just need a razor and strop.

I've been looking around the site a lot and I've seen a lot of suggestions to buy a "shave ready" blade from the classifieds. I've taken a look and it seems a bit intimidating. Should I go with something like the $55 or $90 DOVOs on the first page? I feel like quality should cost a little bit more. I'm willing to spend in the range of $150 for the razor and strop.

So can anyone give some advice on if any of the current listings would be worth scooping up? Should I wait out for some others to be posted? Or is there any other site you'd recommend that has some good deals?

Thanks.

Hi,
The International Cutlery 6/8 looks nice. The ad says it's been honed by Lynn, so you KNOW it's have ready. Some would say a spike (square) toe isn't for beginners, but my first razor was a spike point; it taught me to respect it :-)

The Revisor site is a good place to look too. You can get something like the one below for 105 USD. I HAVE only bought one razor from the Revisor site (a NOS Schulze) but that one was definitely shave ready. Just to be sure, though, it'd be a good idea to send it off BEFORE using it to be honed/touched up.

Good luck with your quest,

Carl

5/8

I don't see a $55 razor listed, only a $50 one that Mephisto has for sale, and he's said that it's not shave ready. Don however has one for $75 that has been honed by Lynn from Straight Razor Designs.

If you bought the one from Mephisto and sent it to be honed by one of the folks from the classifieds or if you bought the one from Don, you would still come in at less than $100. That would leave you $50 for the strop, which gives you several options, one being a strop from Star Shaving. I just ordered one, so I can't say for sure from first hand knowledge, but they have a good reputation. Or, for about $20 more, you could get the 3" Black Latigo from Straight Razor Designs.

Just my 2 cents... Decisions, Decisions... :)

I'd say go to Straight Razor Designs and check out their razor and strop sets. Get an entry level Dovo or Ralph Aust and your choice of strop. Lynn hones it and entry level is the same steel, more or less, as the higher price stuff but less gingerbread.

Is international cutlery a good brand? I didn't see it on the list of good brands. I took a look at SRD's website and found some nice looking Dovos (I had my eye on the imitation tortoise shell one), but it seems like everything is out of stock.

I guess the Dovo I had my eye on has been sold now, but is the $90 Dovo in classifieds (black, wooden scales) any good? Is it worth perusing the 2nd, 3rd, 4th pages of classifieds or is anything worth buying going to be on the first page?

Thanks again

Alright I'm just about to pull the trigger, but I notice that it doesn't say it is freshly honed. Should I just assume it isn't honed and look for another razor? Or do you think they just forgot to mention it?

I'm sure that it'll be honed up... Lynn and Don don't let them go out otherwise unless requested, if I'm not mistaken.

That's a good buy if you aren't concerned about the aesthetics...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Esy

Alright I'm just about to pull the trigger...

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On what one? The one Jimmy posted?