Thread: Starting on a tight budget

Originally Posted by Mcbladescar

BlueJazz777
If you are not in a huge hurry, I have a 5/8" round nose King Cutter I will clean up and send you.
Just PM me your address.
Mike

You can't go wrong with that!

I was going to suggest using a shavette if you want to get a SR shave on a budget. They resemble a SR and use a DE blade snapped in half and inserted into a holder. You then shave with it as you would a SR.

Regardless of whether you get that King Cutter, use a shavette, or go the DE route, you don't have to spend a gazillion dollars on soaps and brushes. Others have mentioned the VDH brush, mug, and soap set. Another option is to get a basic Omega boar brush from SRD for 5-8 dollars and either a tub of the SRD essential oils soap in unscented for 8 dollars or a tub of Proraso for 10.

Edited to add that I just saw you hail from British Columbia. So ordering from Straight Razor Designs and having your order shipped to you would be a bit expensive. But I'm sure Canadian retailers would sell the Proraso and the Omega brushes cheaply as well.

I have a cheap strop, brush, and soaps that I am willing to send you if you live in the USA. Just pm me your address and I will send it too you tomorrow or Thursday

Originally Posted by crazy4str8tsinnc

I have a cheap strop, brush, and soaps that I am willing to send you if you live in the USA. Just pm me your address and I will send it too you tomorrow or Thursday

Tomorrow or Friday

I was going to say, interestingly enough I was looking at the shaving section in the local Wal-Mart. I like some of the old-school scents, so I'm always on the look out for aqua velva, old spice, clubman etc. Turns out wet shaving has become popular enough that they actually carry puck soap, and a double edge kit complete with badger brush, stand, and razor. I think it was under 25 bucks. Can't remember if it had a mug with it, but I want to say it was everything you need to start wet shaving. Still might be a good backup to have handy if you link up with Craig and get a straight. There's a bit of a learning curve with them, so it would have been nice to have a backup handy for those days I was in a rush, or wanted a good shave with less razor burn from my inexperienced hand.

Just checked your profile and saw that you are in BC. Send me your address anyway so that I can check shipping costs.

Wow, I'm away from the computer for a few hours and come back to this, what an enjoyable surprise! Thank you everyone for all your support. I started the day unsure of whether I'd be able to pursue this, and now feel confident it will happen soon. This truly is a great community and it is so refreshing to find such generosity in the world. Thank you all again!

You will find it to be a very helpful giving community here. Any omega boar brush and a arko or palmolive shave stick will be fine and quite cheap off ebay. Newspaper, nylon webbing etc work well and cost little. A search for strop substitutes will bring many options. As said a shavette or de will give you the basics of prep and how to shave without the need for a strop or honing and provide a back up when honing is needed. A de will be far better shaves than a disposable. You will be better off getting a couple decent items at a time and making a start than buying low and upgrading later.

Looks like you are sorted with a razor. I've got a shaving brush, creams and balms I will send out, and I've got an unused replaceable bed for a Supex paddle strop too. You will have to sort that out by attaching to a block of wood in order to make a bench strop or something similar.

Question is, what do you then do with your $50 budget. There are two things you need to keep in mind. You won't hit shaving nirvana eventually. It is a journey to get there. You will nick your strop, roll your edge and become thoroughly despondent at times with the progress you are making. That is ok, and each little set back is a lesson and you get better. However, it does mean that you have to factor in costs to deal with this - honing costs when you roll the edge on your razor, and replacement strops etc. Keep looking in the classifieds for a back up razor for when you have to send your razor away.

Take up every generous offer, great bunch of gents here. Best of luck.

You have already received many generous offers of help; an unparalleled aspect of this community within the internet! I wish you well on both of your journeys: recovery & straight shaving. I'm willing to bet that you will find similarities between the two. Things like patience & sticking with something that seems difficult now, but will feel good & enjoyable & rewarding later on.

In considering getting started on a budget, I have heard nothing but good things about Larry over at Whipped Dog.

Whipped Dog Straight Razor Shaving Equipment

A "sight unseen flawed razor" will cost $28, + $3 for shipping to Canada. And a "Poor Man strop kit" will cost $25, + another $3 for shipping to Canada. The razor would definitely qualify as an "ugly duckling" by our standards here, but you can bet your that it will give a decent shave!

Slightly beyond your budget, but still a good place to start for the money. Also a bit redundant after other members start mailing things off "because the breeze hit the back of their neck"... lol. Still an option to keep in mind for later.