Looking for suggestions for a starter setup

Hi, I've been using disposable razors all my life, I planning to move into using a straight razor for shaving. Only thing I know about this is what I've been reading on the internet. I have also read most of the tutorials on this site.

Like the title says I am looking for some advise on a starting setup, and good places to buy supplies.

I'm price conscious (cheap) but don't want to waste money buying garbage that needs to be replaced, but I don't need top pf the line tools to learn on..

I'm looking at this (https://www.classicshaving.com/produ...-gd-w-box-html).
The razor seems to have some good on line reviews, for a starting set.

The add says it shave ready with free lifetime honing.
Does this company have a good reputation for their honing work?

If you say don't buy this, please tell me why and what would you buy instead.
I don't mind spending a little more to get a decent tool if it's something I'm going to sue for a long time.

Thanks.

Neville

Welcome to SRP and wet shaving NMair

Look at Whippeddog.com. The owner there is a guy by the name of Larry(I believe), you can email him, tell him what you are looking for and he can set you up with some descent beginners gear. The razor, will be no beauty pageant winner but a useable razor all the same and a required strop. You can also get a brush while your there. You can go down to Bath & Beauty Works and get a $10 tube of C. A. Bigelow.

Then you can check out the B/T/S page here and get another razor after you deside you want to go down the rabbit hole.

Wet shaving is amazing and I will never go back to cartridge razors but it is a very deep hole. There are many aspects of wet shaving that people can get into and collect.

Gold Dollar are best for the people who modify the razor.

Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the shave.

Sent from my phone using some app

Check Buy-Sell-Trade. Some decent razors at a fair price.

The missing link

This is the set I was looking at https://straightrazors.com/10-piece-...-6-8-gd-w-box/
What do you think ?

Yeh nah, don't do it,
save the coins & get something decent most of that is rubbish on the suggested rejects lists
hear guaranteed not to be shave ready, you can same more by going to the classified and having a look or sticking with a reputable seller like SRD or Maggards over your side of the pond mate

Have a read.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...azors-com.html

Bob

I started with whipped dog and was pleased with what I got.

Always great deals to be found on razors in SRP's Buy/Sell/Trade area. If you are uncertain whether you will like shaving with straights, this is the best way to go. You can always resell the razor if you find it's not for you without losing much (if any) cash on the deal.

For strops, check out SRD.

Not see how well they work but I hear using one of those feather straight razors where you replace the blade are a cheap way to get your feet wet. I believe the shave is a bit different but you will get to see what it's like shaving with something similiar to a straight razor. Or buy the cheapest razor in buy sell trade you like and a strop

Neville - Cheapest isn't always better. However, premium isn't always better either. There are a couple of people that sell beginner sets here that are really of value. You won't pay an arm and a leg and you will get good quality. So if you decide that straight razor shaving isn't for you, you won't have paid a fortune to find out. Watch out for these on the buy / sell / trade and new posts.
Good luck I hope you find what you are looking for!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Christian1

Not see how well they work but I hear using one of those feather straight razors where you replace the blade are a cheap way to get your feet wet. I believe the shave is a bit different but you will get to see what it's like shaving with something similiar to a straight razor. Or buy the cheapest razor in buy sell trade you like and a strop

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by NMair

The missing link

This is the set I was looking at https://straightrazors.com/10-piece-...-6-8-gd-w-box/
What do you think ?

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I do not recommend this Gold Dollar based kit for a beginner.
The soap, brush and strop seem to be less than what you need as well.

Yes (blush), I do have a Gold Dollar and there are a couple "CLOSED" threads here covering the
value and pain associated with them, mostly pain. The one I have was difficult to hone and difficult to maintain.
I did like the weight and size and I do drag it out once a year because I am stubborn.

This is one of those blades that needs a ~$600 pile of new hones and a DMT to set them
flat just to find out if the razor is from a batch of good steel with good heat treating.
They are not shave ready by most standards for that price. A lot of good tool and knife sharpeners
try these and do not have reliable results.

For a beginner brush I like one of:
OMEGA 10098 PROFESSIONAL BOAR SHAVING BRUSH -- less than $15
or
a Silver Tip Badger 22mm knot at about $100
HEINRICH L. THATER SERIES 4292/3 H 22MM FINEST BADGER SILVER TIP
or equivalent.

Brushes are worth shopping for. That is why the Omega Boar brush is at the top.
It is a darn fine durable boar bristle brush and while it takes longer and more work to make a great lather
it will do the job. I have two marvelous Thater badger brushes and am very pleased. The other
badger brushes I have are Dovo & Art of Shaving all nice. I was just looking and some good
brushes are less expensive than when I bought my last.

There are a couple grades of badger so get a good grade in a nice brush handle and stand (or make a stand).
Most badger knots are made in China and so all good brushes begin with much the same choice of knots.
Pay attention to the size of the knot and loft of the brush. Big dense lofty knots are expensive, when you
retire and have an extra buck or two hunt a world class 28mm knot like I did ;-) they are fun.
Find a handle that looks like a shave brush to you that also fits your hand.

Horse hair and artificial bristles satisfy religious needs for some, Boar is "pig" and
artificial works for vegans. Gathering horse hair does not kill the horse so some like it
for that reason.

I started with the Whipped Dog
+1
43 bucks 'sight unseen' razor, bought two and still use one of 'em, a ERN.
Larry is great, tell him what you need and he'll set you up right.

For a razor I'd start right here at SRP and the Buy/Sell/Trade forum. I bought my first razor from the old Classified section and couldn't be happier with my purchase as it came shave ready and I knew that I could find the seller again if needed. The gentlemen here are generally doing their best to welcome new members to the hobby and several sellers routinely post razors and/or kits that are a great deals for the new shaver (and even for those of us dealing with RAD).

Whippeddog.com does indeed offer complete brushes but you purchase the knot and handle separately and ask Larry to epoxy the former into the later. I have bought one brush from the site but cannot personally vouch for any other product sold there.

My best advice is to take a big breath before diving in. I know that once you've decided that you want to give straight razors a try it can be very difficult holding back. The fact is that one of the best decisions I made was to wait a few months before purchasing my first kit and putting steel to skin. To be fair, my wait wasn't entirely voluntary but I used it to my advantage as it gave me a chance to learn as much as I could from the fine gentlemen here at SRP. I fully believe that this opportunity to read and learn went a long way to making my early experiences extremely positive.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

I decided to go with Whipped dog.
I ordered some of their sight unseen razor and poor man strops.
For a brush I picked up the OMEGA 10098 PROFESSIONAL BOAR SHAVING BRUSH.

Now I'm just sitting and watching the mailbox, waiting...

Hello,

I'm new here, looking to learn. Thanks NMair for your questions - same questions for me. Let me know how your experience with whipped dog goes, I may well follow suit...

I was given the 4- piece version of this as a gift, which is actually how I got into SR shaving to begin with, but I can say from experience that the razor and strop are garbage. (The brush and cream were ok). The Strop isn't even real leather, it's some kind of synthetic stuff that did not do my razors any favors. +1 for Whipped Dog, Larry is awesome, and his prices absolutely can't be beat. If you are really looking for the best price, buy a "flawed sight unseen" razor-The one I ordered from him to replace the GD I got in the kit is still one of my favorite shavers. And if you don't like the razor, he is great about returns and exchanges.

Experience.... if I had it do do all over again, I'd start with a Feather Straight ( or one of its clones) and ProGuard blades. You'll learn how to use a Str8 with minimal mess, money, and blood loss.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A sight unseen razor for $43? Are you seriously kidding me here?! :shrug:

It's your money, but for my money, I would rather hit an eBay auction where I can see over a half-dozen pictures of the razor I am buying that will cost me about the same amount. My last 2 eBay scores were both near-mint razors: an SR Droescher #81 (11/16) and a Nichiri Yaichi (13/16) frameback. Both were between $41 and $49 shipped, plus I was obviously also allowed to pick something in a size that works for me. And ZERO hone wear on each one.

To each their own, guys, but don't simply throw in the towel on straight razors because you are on a budget.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

Have a read.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...azors-com.html

Bob

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This ^^^.

Horror stories abound. On lots of forums.

Having worked with Larry Andreasson of Whipped dog a lot, I can say that I would trust him way more than a random eBay seller. The sight unseen thing actually makes a lot of sense for a noob; Doesn't matter how many pictures of the razor one sees, there is no way to tell from pictures (unless they are with a microscope) if it is actually honed properly, especially for a nooby who doesn't really know what to look for anyway. I'd much rather get an ugly razor that I know is well-honed and actually shave ready than a beauty that shaves like a pocket knife.

In fact, I would argue that someone with no straight-razor experience is probably better off letting someone else pick out a razor for them, as a new shaver might be inclined to focus on cosmetic qualities that don't affect the shave, instead of underlying geometric and metallurgical qualities. I know I felt really overwhelmed with the options when I started, and the Sheffield I ended up with was probably as good or better than anything I would have picked out myself.

Also, Larry is awesome about taking returns. Of the three Razors I have bought off Whipped dog, one of them I really didn't like (a 1/4 hollow that was just a little too beefy for my tasts). Larry took it back, full refund, no questions asked; Not a lot of eBay sellers will do that.

Sorry if I seem overly defensive, I am not in any way affiliated with WD, just a very happy repeat customer. I do think that anyone who has worked with WD would agree they are a way better place to get started than a random eBay seller.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FoliageFace

Having worked with Larry Andreasson of Whipped dog a lot, I can say that I would trust him way more than a random eBay seller. The sight unseen thing actually makes a lot of sense for a noob; Doesn't matter how many pictures of the razor one sees, there is no way to tell from pictures (unless they are with a microscope) if it is actually honed properly, especially for a nooby who doesn't really know what to look for anyway. I'd much rather get an ugly razor that I know is well-honed and actually shave ready than a beauty that shaves like a pocket knife.

In fact, I would argue that someone with no straight-razor experience is probably better off letting someone else pick out a razor for them, as a new shaver might be inclined to focus on cosmetic qualities that don't affect the shave, instead of underlying geometric and metallurgical qualities. I know I felt really overwhelmed with the options when I started, and the Sheffield I ended up with was probably as good or better than anything I would have picked out myself.

Also, Larry is awesome about taking returns. Of the three Razors I have bought off Whipped dog, one of them I really didn't like (a 1/4 hollow that was just a little too beefy for my tasts). Larry took it back, full refund, no questions asked; Not a lot of eBay sellers will do that.

Sorry if I seem overly defensive, I am not in any way affiliated with WD, just a very happy repeat customer. I do think that anyone who has worked with WD would agree they are a way better place to get started than a random eBay seller.

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Plus for someone new, you know you are actually getting a shave ready razor. So you could buy one for less, but after you have to pay to ship it off for honing, are you really ahead?