Thread: $$ Cost of Startup $$

I'm not sure that the phrase "start up costs" mean much. I started this sport last year January, and I'm still adding to my "start up" expenses. Seems I'm forever needing this or "gotta have" that. I've started buying things needed for restoration, which is my next endeavor. Man, I thought my gun hobby was expensive! You can make do with a Walgreens boar hair brush, some Williams shaving soap, and a couple of other cheap "must haves". All said and done, though,to start all you really need is a honemeister approved shaving instrument and a strop to keep it that way. Under a $100, for sure. But you are going to love this sport sooooo much, that in no time at all you'll be dreaming and drooling about your next gotta have! Man, oh, man is it fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But don't be fooled: the only thing you need to shave is a razor. I guess it depends on if you're looking for a way to get hair off of your face or a shaving experience. If the former, you can get away with a $5 start investment: for example, I bought a razor from a junk dealer, honed it on a friend's stone, stropped it on my leather belt, lathered dial soap in my hands and got a better shave than my DE. If the latter the sky's the limit. Maybe think about it like a trip to a spa: this spa is cheaper, but this one is INCOMPARABLE!!

Exactly- the initial costs are what YOU want to spend. Not everyone can get an ebay junker and make it shavable without help, but it is definitely true that for less than $50 you can have a good shave ready used blade and an ebay strop will work or several have been sold for under $30 here and other places.

I did a Tweezerman badger brush for $10 shipped (the drug store boar brush for $5 would do just fine) I had creams from wet shaving already, but a Williams bar at $1.50 will do it. I did a Corel desert bowl (still using) from Walmart for under $2 and my first straight shave was with a Weck hair shaper (with Metal handles for balance) from eBay for $10 shipped and blades from the local beauty supply. An Illinois 827 strop followed for under $25, as did a couple regular straights, but they technically are not part of my startup costs. I started in Jan or Feb 07 with a straight and tentatively progressed while dropping back to safety razors alot. You don't need to spend hundreds unless you want to. You also don't need a hone unless you want one with the services of our hone meisters here.

I think a lot of newer shavers fall into the same traps the rest of us here do- rad, sad, bad, had..... instead of getting what you need to do the job we get what we want for the job at hand.
A used Ontario or Genco straight will shave you just as well as a TI..
A corner store desert bowl will whip up and contain lather as well as a scuttle..
And a Drug store Boar brush will make lather just like a Simpson Finest.
There's nothing wrong with wanting better then basic, but when budgets demand it function can be substantially less expensive.

When I started I got a shavette for $25 and went with that for about a month.
Then I got a TM strop for $40 and a Joe chandler restore for $35 plus a Swaty, lithide and loom strop off ebay for $15.
By that time I had two real straight shaves, then I needed a re-honing from Lynn for $20 (my fault).
Since then I have added about a dozen found razors from family and $15 worth of e-bay finds which I sharpen on $1 a sheet sandpaper and my $20 dollar (total) 4 and 8k hones.
Total $170 for over a dozen straight and all the kit I need to keep them going indefinitly.
Add about $30 for a ton of soaps and scents and I've got a lifetime hobby for less than $200.

Originally Posted by Rhunes29

I would like to ask this as a question, but use it as an invitation for some older members to let us know how much you have invested in Straight Razor Shaving, and how much you invested before your first shave?

I thought I could find a cheap ebay razor, sharpen it and start using a straight razor for under $20 within a week. After finding this forum, I will probably avoid a lot of mistakes, but have invested much more than originally considered.

I purchased an $18 razor on ebay and will spend $30-70 more by a honemeister here to hone and possibly re-scale. I then purchased a shave ready beauty in BST for $100 and plan to get started with that. I am going to get all other accessories from vendors here in the forum which should run another $175. This will total (roughly) $300-$400 before my first shave!!! I would never have planned to spend this much, but now I am afraid to use a cheap razor, blow my money on a useless brush or strop, and would only save $50-100 buying lower quality products than what was recommended by members here. I know this is a long message so...

How much spent before first shave?
How much invested total to support our hobby?

Thanks for your participation and advice!!!

To me if you have the means this is the way to go you will get a true gauge if you like it or not. And if you do not the stuff holds it value pretty well and just but it on the bst.

Also a newb, started about a month ago:

DOVO 5/8" Classic Black straight - $59.00
Pre-Honed Option: $19.99
DOVO Hanging Rindleder Strop - $35.00
Brush - $5.00 (Walgreen's badger)
Soap - $1.49 (William's Mug Soap)
Mug - Tea mug (large, around the house)

That's my total and from what feedback I've gotten, this is all I need to start up. Hope this helps man

initial set up cost me less than $1.50. father-in-law had a dovo razor, illinois strop 835, old spice mug and shave ready brush. gave it all to me. he uses foam and a cartridge because he could never get his hand to stop shaking with a straight. bummer for him.

if you want to know what i have spent now, that's another story. i did eventually buy another razor for $16 in case my father in law ever wanted his back, and had it honed for $10. so you could say that was part of my initial investment also.

vgod

I was glued to ebay for about a month getting myself started. I was very proud of myslef for having the patience to wait, and start off cheap.

J.A. Henckle 5/8 stainless + getting Lynn to hone it - $38
Old Russian shell strop (not sure of brand) I was able to refurbish and use - $8
Kingwood Silvertip Badger brush - $20
Colleen's Orange Patchulli Shave Cream - $12
Stainless Steel bowl from the kitchen - $0

My start-up grand total = $78

Since then I ahve aquired a Tony Miller strop, a Joe Chandler restored 6/8, Bengall 5/8, Thiers Issard Egyptian Sheaf 6/8, and 4 old blades I am trying to finish restoring.

I spent nearly $300 for my first shave, but I made sure I got good quality stuff that will last forever and is exactly what I want. I spent another $30 buying two more razors at antique stores which I plan to clean up and sell to help fund this insane habit/hobby/addiction.

I will soon be purchasing a couple soaps from Colleen, a hone, and maybe even a tumbler and another brush. With all that stuff, we're talkin another $200+.

My initial investment in January was a bit over $300 including:

A Shavemac 501 finest badger brush from Jim at Vintage Blades
A Dovo 6/8 tortoise razor from Classic Shaving, honed by Lynn
Lynn's DVD
an Illinois 127 strop
three soaps to start
an e-bay mug
a Genco 5/8 Head Barber from ebay

I consider all of that money well spent. Wouldn't part with any of it (well, eventually, the soap! )

The Genco was the first straight I actually shaved with, (miracle of miracles - no cuts or nicks on my first shave!) and it remains a favorite. The DOVO is smooth as silk. Just wipes the whiskers away.

The other major investment I made that didn't cost a DIME (but has rewarded me with smooth shaving and minimal blood loss) was to lurk on this forum and take advantage of everyone's knowledge and experience here.

So far, so good. THEN RAD and HAD kicked in.

Let's just say that I managed to double my cash investment in this hobby going nuts on e-bay. I have managed to get two of those razors shave ready, and I look forward to "restoring" a couple more.

My latest buy was in the b/s/t, and I'll probably go that way from now on if I want something I MUST shave with right away. There are some <awesome> razors for sale there!

The bottom line is that my face is much smoother, my wallet is a little lighter, and I couldn't be happier!!