Thread: Budget beginner

Hey all . Iv been looking online and in the forum. Can't seem to find a decent budget sr for around 30 bucks. I keep seeing the comment to look in the classified but still no luck. Any suggestions?

I hate to say it but the way prices in general have been rising I doubt that all you are finding are evilbay rejects that would cost more than $30 to get it in shape. I would suggest raising your minimum to $50 and keep checking the classifieds. Possibility that a member reading your post might PM you with a suggestion or two.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a few for $20 or $30 on the Classifieds. The one I am getting gets mixed reviews. By that I mean some people are okay with them and some people hate them. From my research it seems that $50 is pretty comfortable. Like it opens the door to more options. Shave ready which seems to be the majority suggestion for a first razor for non metal workers generally adds to the prices.

In general there are two schools of thought on learning a new skill. One is get the best tools you can to start out so that the transition is smoother. That builds confidence faster and gives you a better idea of what quality is so you know what to look for in the future. Another, looks for the bigger challenge in the beginning. In this way the ideal is to do everything by hand and find something that will keep you working on it constantly. Eventually, when you have learned how to troubleshoot, and get decent on something that requires constant tweaking and maintenance you can then get something that requires less maintenance for your daily drive.

I tend to fall in category 2. When I started into IT I started using Linux exclusively on a laptop. At the time that meant constant tweaking and having to rebuild my wifi drivers every time I upgraded. Eventually, when my monitoring tools didn't work I started editing them and then rewriting them. For me the more I do by hand the more solidly the right way is ingrained and then I can use the shortcuts by understanding what they are doing and what to do if the shortcut comes up short.

what brand are you looking for

Agreed, i'd move that budget to at least $50. Keep your eye on the SRP classifieds.

Originally Posted by Mikebo86

Hey all . Iv been looking online and in the forum. Can't seem to find a decent budget sr for around 30 bucks. I keep seeing the comment to look in the classified but still no luck. Any suggestions?

Is this your very first time ever using a straight?? If so, why not go the shavette route? You can get a decent shavette for 10-25 dollars and blades on th cheap, especially if they are shavettes that use DE blades snapped in half. This way, you do not have to invest in a strop and learn proper stropping techniques right off the bat. You can learn your technique from that.

If you decide SR shaving is not for you, your investment is minimal. Or if you do decide that hey, I like the results of a SR shave, then you will have one part of the equation solved (shaving technique) solved and then can move on to a real straight and then from there, get your stropping technique perfected

I'm not too particular on brand. Basically I'm just looking for quality metal.. No Chinese or Japanese. I was searching for solingen German blades as that's what I read about but that's kinda where it left off. Not sure what's good or not.. That's why I figured I would turn to people who know this stuff. Maybe there are good off names with good steel.

I have thought about shavettes.. But I don't know. I just don't feel like it's not the same.. Also iv read that it's pretty easy to cut yourself with the corner of the blade while shaving. I'm just figuring that if worst comes to worse.. Even if I were to buy a new one... As long as I don't chip or crack a blade I can resell it.

German, American, English, Swedish, Frence and Spanish steels are all basically rated the same. Good quality. Variations occur in the manufacturing process so, of course, there will be variations on quality within any country's production. And Japanese razors rank along well with the others. Chinese and Pakistan steel just doesn't seem to hold an edge very well. My opinion.

I wouldn't discount Japanese razors, they are some of the most well ground productions with great steel. Just stay away from Pakistani and Chinese RSO's and you'll be safe. Like has been said you may find some in decent shape on eBay but then you still need to have it honed which is an additional 20-25.

Whipped dog. May not be pretty but fully shave ready for thirty two if I remember right.