Thread: Is it worth spending a lof of $ for first razor?

Looking back when I started, my first razor was a TI that cost me about $140 as I recall. If I had to do it over again knowing what I do now I would never have spent that much for a first razor. I think ideally $60 is the most I would spend and I would buy from one of the guys here.

You are going to be learning and there is just too much of a chance something is going to happen like dropping the razor or hitting it against the sink or faucet or messing it up on a hone or a hundred other things. My feeling is once you learn the ropes and know how to handle the razor properly and care for it then you can endulge yourself on a better quality razor, you will enjoy it better that way to.

Lastly and I will echo what others have said to squeaky, keep those kind of remarks to yourself, they don't belong here dude.

Pissed up forum banter,

sorry i knew i would get cained

*hangs head in shame*

sneaky no room for racists`on this forum...you have a serious problem...

First of all tank you all guys for the nice help

Ignore all the people here we all the "Not so kind remarks"
I am asking what seem to be for me a considerable questions, if some one don't think so, he can ignore this post and not answer here.

About the Razor, I think my problem like AFDavis11 said is that I want something nice , very nice
if I will buy a 60$ razor, it will always be 60$ one and I won't be satisfied with him
So, I guess pulling of a 100-200 $ for a razor with the risk of ruin it is something I have to take

If you want to buy just 1 razor, I advise you to buy one nice TI for 150$ or so, and one cheap one, maybe from the BST forum.

Use the cheap one to learn honing to that you don't mess up the nice one.

Let Lynn hone the nice one first so that you have a sharp razor, and so that you know what really sharp feels like.

Trust me on this one. You will make lots of honing errors the first time, and it would be a shame to mess up a nice razor.

I bought the basic beginner's kit from Tony Williams which includes a $60.00 5/8 Dovo, paddle strop, mug, soap etc... for $160+ (incl.. shipping etc.. which is just the right "price".... The DOVO is a fine basic "learning" razor. While I'm still learning how to shave and take care of these tools, I've been getting a vicarious thrill picking my ultimate "Fantasy Island" razors and watching the bidding wars between some seriously addicted "Straight Razor Junkies", as well as "window shopping" the various "Straight Razor" & "Shaving" Websites....

I really had total lust for that matched pair of Henckels in a case that went for $224.00! Used but mint and cherry, the case was a little rough...

But for me to buy ANYTHING "nice" now would be just a waste of money right now... I'm still learning to hone and strop and SHAVE....

Even though I'm trying to be really "careful", I know that I've barely missed ruining my $60.00 DOVO "Best Quality" learner at least 25 times and I've only been shaving with it for 3 days!

Except for the Chinese and Pakistani cheapo "knock-offs" All these "new" razors that we're talking about (DOVO, TI, etc...) are are well made, and will give a lifetime of service regardless of the starting price...

So are a lot of the "old/new" stock, the refurbs, renovations and the oldies but goodies that are being offered by different memebrs of the Straight Razor community...

For right now, I'll quite happy to watch the eBay auctions and vicariously drool and lust over the Razors I'm gonna get "some day"....

All the best!

May we all have smoothe, coool, close, nickless shaves!

Tony

Ok
So should I pick up a thing like this one
DOVO Classic "Special" 5/8 White
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...940/190302.htm
and also a more "nice" razor I want like Thiers-Issard Sheffield Silver Steel ?
Maybe I should better pick up the "cheap" one and a steelines steel one?
and have them both being sharp ready service?

Yea, I think that would be an even better choice for a first razor. I think the idea of buying one razor, a "first" razor to learn on and one that will also be perfect for the rest of you life is asking too much.

I think we also put waaaaaaaay too much emphasis on this razor or that razor or whatever. I believe it really, really, really is about your knowledge and abililties.

You haven't put a bad razor up as a suggestion though. Personally I want you to buy something you like too.

I think the key, like I mentioned in my first post, is not to buy cheap and not to buy expensive. Now those extremes are based somewhat on your pocket book.

Take a cheap $10 Zeepk razor, a $60 Dovo, and a $140 TI.

If you hone them poorly you dull the expensive razor, mid priced razor, and the cheap one. Knocking each of them on the sink will put a nick in all three. Throw them all at the nearest wall in frustration and they all suffer.

Do everything right with all three razors and you'll only shave with two of them.

And I still stand by my first comment, that a $140 TI is not expensive. If you wanted to buy a Livi for $600 as a first razor that would be extreme. With straights you have to change your entire perspective. How much does a guy spend on replacement cartridges every year for a Mach 3?

EAD . . . I think you should only buy one razor right now. You need to get into a sortof "relationship" with a razor. Don't get into the habit a lot of guys get into around here of buying lots of hones and lots of razors and changing everything every shave. Learn how to hone, strop, and shave with just ONE razor. You'll cut your learning curve waaaaaaay down.

If you buy two of them now keep one for a back up but really focus on the first one.

You can watch a random sampling of 100 guys on this forum and they all try to learn and the first shave or two doesn't go right and its "What new razor do I need?, what paste should I put on my new paddle I ordered?, what hone am I missing in my lineup of multi grit hones?, what prep machine do I need to get my towels super hot?, etc. etc. etc."

The real question should be simply; "What did I do wrong?"

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Yea, I think that would be an even better choice for a first razor. I think the idea of buying one razor, a "first" razor to learn on and one that will also be perfect for the rest of you life is asking too much.

I think we also put waaaaaaaay too much emphasis on this razor or that razor or whatever. I believe it really, really, really is about your knowledge and abililties.

You haven't put a bad razor up as a suggestion though. Personally I want you to buy something you like too.

I think the key, like I mentioned in my first post, is not to buy cheap and not to buy expensive. Now those extremes are based somewhat on your pocket book.

Take a cheap $10 Zeepk razor, a $60 Dovo, and a $140 TI.

If you hone them poorly you dull the expensive razor, mid priced razor, and the cheap one. Knocking each of them on the sink will put a nick in all three. Throw them all at the nearest wall in frustration and they all suffer.

Do everything right with all three razors and you'll only shave with two of them.

And I still stand by my first comment, that a $140 TI is not expensive. If you wanted to buy a Livi for $600 as a first razor that would be extreme. With straights you have to change your entire perspective. How much does a guy spend on replacement cartridges every year for a Mach 3?

EAD . . . I think you should only buy one razor right now. You need to get into a sortof "relationship" with a razor. Don't get into the habit a lot of guys get into around here of buying lots of hones and lots of razors and changing everything every shave. Learn how to hone, strop, and shave with just ONE razor. You'll cut your learning curve waaaaaaay down.

If you buy two of them now keep one for a back up but really focus on the first one.

You can watch a random sampling of 100 guys on this forum and they all try to learn and the first shave or two doesn't go right and its "What new razor do I need?, what paste should I put on my new paddle I ordered?, what hone am I missing in my lineup of multi grit hones?, what prep machine do I need to get my towels super hot?, etc. etc. etc."

The real question should be simply; "What did I do wrong?"

I really appreciate you comment
So
I have got this nice TI razor for 140$ and a nice DOVO "best" for something like 40$ instead of 60+$
So
I guess I will start with using the DOVO (wich is a great one, isn't?!) and then maybe after some monthes of use, go with the TI
What do you think?
This way I will parcatice my technique but still know to sure that even the "cheap" DOVO is still a very good razor that can do the job, and if it isn't sharp enough or the shave is bad, then it is my fault, not the razor

What do you think?

Go for it . . . and have fun!