You'll be happy to know that you are taking up straight razor shaving 30 years younger than I did.
- Read this article called Is "Straight Shaving For You" to find out what equipment is needed in straight razor shaving: Is Straight Razor Shaving for You? - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com
- Here is an oldie but a goodie, "Shaving Made Easy," an online instructional book from 1905 that is just as relevant now as it was then. You can download it to your PC. https://archive.org/details/shavingmadeeasyw0020th
- The members here were polled and the most popular size was 6/8.
- I'd definitely get the 3" wide strop so you don't have to learn the more difficult crossing "X" pattern. 3" covers the length of the blade so all you have to do is go back and forth. The kind of leather in a strop is a personal preference. I personally enjoy using a kangaroo leather strop the most.
- This forum has many other pieces of instructional information compiled over a period of many years (see the Library menu item at the top). The things I have listed are a little more short and to the point to start with. If you read the things I have listed you'll be able to browse the forum library with some perspective.