Thread: Newbie looking for the best straight razor/package

Honestly $500 more than sufficient... you should be able to get a lovely setup for around $400. Now I know the Maestro Livi, Robert Williams and Joe Chandler custom and premade razors are beautiful and shave a real treat... but you might want to make them your 4th or 5th razor purchase.

here would be my starting set:
shavemac #177 silver tip badger (Vintageblades LLC) ~100USD
theirs-issard 6/8 Sheffield silver steel in Sicilian olive wood (Classic Shaving) ~173USD
Lynn Abrams "World of Straight razor shaving" (Classic Shaving) ~20USD
Razor Honing (sharpening service) (Classic Shaving) ~20USD _Lynn Abrams does all their honing... a bargain at twice the price.
#4 starter strop (The Well Shaved Gentleman) ~27USD
Heirloom vintage style paddle strop for pastes, pre-pasted with 3micron, 1 micron, .5 micron and .25micron diamond pastes (Tony, The Well Shaved Gentleman) ~60
Lastly, any 5 1 ounce shaving soaps form our Soapmistress (The Gentlemens Quarter) ~20USD (just send a pm to "churley" here and she will send you your product list)

there that spends about $400 of your money (plus shipping) and would give you a fantastic start. the only upgrades you would need in a while is a new Paragon strop from Tony in a month or two.. after you have learned proper stropping.

You could also simply buy a starter set from any of the above vendors and get great shave and a good deal for around $200. But you will Need Lynn's DVD and Colleen's soap... they are worth it.

No matter whos set, razor, strop, etc... the DVD is a must. I'm an old hand at this and I learned a few things from it.

Tony

Thanks for all the replies! This will help me a lot in deciding. By the way.. are Dovo's any good? I've seen some extensive shaving kits with Dovo razors at http://www.nashvilleknifeshop.com and was wondering if they were good too.

Also, what do the different widths of the razors do? I think I heard that 5/8 are good for newbies. What would wider ones accomplish? What should I get, width wise?

Thanks!

The sets listed there will NOT have shave ready razors, Classic, Jim and myself all have shave ready new razors. Many thsnks to Lynn or another SRP member who does the honing work on them.

Shave ready or not is the main thing that will make or break your first experience in shaving. Smear the lather on with your fingers, used canned goop, strop on your pants leg, whatever, and you'll get by, but DO buy a shave ready razor, new or used.

Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

The sets listed there will NOT have shave ready razors, Classic, Jim and myself all have shave ready new razors. Many thsnks to Lynn or another SRP member who does the honing work on them.

Shave ready or not is the main thing that will make or break your first experience in shaving. Smear the lather on with your fingers, used canned goop, strop on your pants leg, whatever, and you'll get by, but DO buy a shave ready razor, new or used.

Tony

I second the above.

Also rather than the Nashville knife shop kit I would get one from Tony.

Mostly because of the quality of the strop.

As I have gotten more and more into straights I have accumulated over a dozen razors (always looking for more) half a dozen different hones, a couple of different brushes, a few mugs or scuttles (or bowls), and about a dozen soaps/cremes, but I still have only one strop.

I just can't bring myself to take a chance on getting an inferior strop to the Heirloom no.2 I have.

Tony,

I agree with you totally. And thank you for the balanced, non-promotional responses to the member who was looking for help. Much unlike that "adjustsomething" person in the self-promotion mode.

Originally Posted by VintageBlades

Tony,

I agree with you totally. And thank you for the balanced, non-promotional responses to the member who was looking for help. Much unlike that "adjustsomething" person in the self-promotion mode.

Yeah, I saw that adjustme guy's post <g>. BUT, it's his living room and he bought the beer........were are just here to watch the game.

Shave ready and the DVD, the rest is just fluff that makes it go smoother.


Tony