Thread: Hello SRP!

Hello, ballsley, and welcome to Straight Razor Place.

I keep my honing setup simple:
Chosera 1K for repairing blades and setting bevels.
Norton 4/8K
2 Japanese water stones in the 12-16 K range
Naniwa 12K

For finishing, sometimes I use the Japanese water stones and sometimes the Naniwa 12K. For you, I suggest the Chosera 1K, the Norton 4/8K and the Naniwa 12K. It's nice and simple. This is in the future. For now, as you try to hone your skill with the straight razor, as Mick noted, have your razor honed professionally. That will give you an idea what a well honed razor should feel like.

Then there is the strop you have listed. Good heaven, you can do far better than that. Online shaving and razor vendors offer a variety of fine strops: SRD, Tony Miller, Neil Miller, Mountain Mike, Illinois (Fromm) and others.

You also have a choice of a wide variety of brushes from these same vendors: Simpson, Rooney, Thater, Vulfix, Plisson, Muhle, Kent, Semogue, Omega and others.

For soaps and creams, you have even a wider choice: Martin de Candre, Xpec, Castle Forbes, D.R. Harris, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Geo F Trumper, Institute Karite, Provence Sante, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Proraso, Cella, Valobra, and on and on.

Give yourself a good start. The best of luck.