Hi, having only been DE shaving a few weeks and hanging out on Badger & Blade, I got curious about straights and picked up a few, two for $13 at one antique shop (Genco "Fluid Steel" 5/8, and Wester Bros. "Anchor Brand" 5/8) (can be seen here) and having found a junk shop that has, literally, dozens of straights in good condition held in velvet wraps, I came away with an Oskar Kemper (Ohligs-Solingen) 6/8 for $20 (can be seen here) (I'm sure I'll be back there for more). A B&B member, who I believe is also a member here, kindly offered to hone them for me. His assessment was that they came out great and shave well. I've watched Lynn's DVD and now have exactly three shaves under my belt.
Strangely enough, I had no nervousness about holding such a weapon to my throat for the first time. Maybe there's some genetic memory at play--my great-grandfather came over from Italy and was a barber in Waterbury, Connecticut during the first couple decades of the 1900s. I wish I had his razors. No major bloodletting on my first three outings. I managed to get my cheeks rather smooth. My neck is an issue no matter how I shave; I managed to shave them at least as well with the straight as with a DE. (I have a goatee, so upper lip and chin are a non-issue.) For now I might keep my straight-razor shaving for the weekends, as I don't want the pressure of getting my four-year-old to daycare and me getting to work pushing me to shave faster.
I know better to start asking questions without searching, but I do have one that I'm guessing might not be a common issue that I'd like to get opinions on. I will need a strop. I know of Well Shaved Gentleman and Handamerican and their excellent reputations, but I also like to keep some of my purchasing local. Would you expect most leatherworkers to know about types of leather that are preferred for strops? I can't imagine the making part to be anything but straightforward. The reason I ask is because there's a leatherworker nearby that I like to patronize if I can; it's not much, but I figure if no one buys from local craftspeople, there won't be any (and I hope she's still in business; I haven't been by her shop in a while). She made me a custom guitar strap several years ago, and it wasn't any more expensive than an off-the-rack strap. Is this something that's really better gotten from a dedicated stropmaker, or could I go to her and say I need a strop and it has to be made from [Russian horsehide or whatever is considered good these days]?
