My first post on this board, just wanted to say hello! I switched to DE shaving about four months ago (thanks to mantic's youtube videos), and I've had a closer and less irritating shave than with Mach3s and goop. So far, my shaving life has improved!

The problem is that I have a pretty wiry and tough beard. The only way I've found to get a really super-smooth shave is by using a Merkur Vision wide open for a final pass, but that really brings on the razor burn. So usually I don't bother. Reading this board it seems like straight shaving is less irritating and closer (at the expense of seeming kind of risky!). Did I get the relative pros/cons right?

Okay, so if I want to try straight-shaving, I need to buy:
- An inexpensive starter razor
- A strop or paddle (even though I don't know what to do with it)
- Lynn Abrams' DVD (to teach me what to do with it)

This set looks decent: http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...2&categoryId=5
Do you know if the razor actually comes "shave ready"? And should I get pastes? Is that even a good deal, or am I better off buying something on the forum here? I'm a bit worried about getting a crummy razor with a bad blade for $20 on the forum, but I may not know this forum very well

Okay, sorry about all this, but I want to make sure I'm doing it right before dumping $200 on the starter kit. Thanks!