There are plenty of affordable razors in the Classifieds. Personally, I would go that route over WD. YMMV of course. :)
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There are plenty of affordable razors in the Classifieds. Personally, I would go that route over WD. YMMV of course. :)
My first SR was a 'sight-unseen' from Whipped Dog. Like others in this thread have said, it definitely wasn't going to win any beauty contests. There was significant darkening and pitting on the blade, spine, and tang, rust spots in the pivot, and a lot of hone wear. It holds a decent edge, though, and shaved well enough for me to learn with.
I've since upgraded to something newer, but now that I've started to hone, it makes a perfect practice razor. If you're on a budget and aren't concerned with aesthetics, the Whipped Dog kit will definitely get you started. Just don't be surprised if you feel the urge to upgrade later down the line.
I too had a sight unseen as my second razor, I have sold it since but it was a good deal and it was useful as a reference of what a shave ready razor is.
Really nothing wrong with Larry's strops. They just don't have the fancy stitching and buckles of the more expensive ones. No worries!