$$ Cost of Startup $$

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!!!

I've spent the same amount as you and I've yet to have my first shave. I know it sucks when your budget jumps a couple hundred dollars, but keep in mind that the things you get for the money will last a really long time and you could likely recoup a good amount of what you spent initially should you decide to switch back to disposables. It's like a lot of hobbies that have a high start-up cost, but you get tools that will last for years. Anyway, we're all in the same boat.

Peace

I got a kit with a Bismark that was not shave ready, a brush of some sort that was stolen so i don't remember what it was, some tabac, a brush stand, and a dovo russian strop. All told that was around $250 I think. I cut the heck out of myself and messed my face up cause I didn't know it wasn't really shave sharp.

That is why I make the newby kits for people. I must admit that I am slow since everyone seem to want my top end razors that take lots of work and my job has not been forgiving timewise lately (at least if I want to be employed at the end of the month) but for those who are patient it gets newbs a cheaper way to get started than making mistakes and gert them stuff from the local vendors like Jim at Vintage Blades, Tony Miller, Mama Bear and Colleen from The Gentleman's Quarter for all the rest of the stuff. That way they get a

OK lets go way back to 1981 I bought a new straight for $52 an Illinois #827 strop for $15 and a white "something I can't remember" stone for $100 so back then it was $167 to start....
I still use the strop and the stone the razor was dropped and chipped sometime in the mid 1990's and I didn't return to straights until last year...
Now my collection and amenities ,,,,well I don't want to discuss that.... RAD, HAD, SCAD, SSAD, and ASAD set in :D don't ask what they all mean it will cost ya $$$$$
Welcome aboard the straight train may yer ride be smooth and long

You guys sure are quick to reply. I read my post and just want to make clear, that I am in no way complaining and hope that I do not discourage any newbies. I am glad that I found this forum to make good decisions and to acquire higher quality equipment. I can't imagin how things might have gone with trial and error with a straight razor. I still look forward to my first shave and really wanted to invite some veterans to reminisce and share with us newbs. :bow

When I started I bought a TI Silver Steel and a Dovo Strop and some cheapo soap and a basic best badger brush. probably about $200 for everything and looking back the TI was a mistake. I should have bought a used razor for about $40 or so.

Well, I admit that I am sick.

So far, I have bought about 32 razors; one from classicshaving, mostly ebay, and about 5 from a flea market. Only 4 of these are usable right now, but I have plans....

I also bought Trafalgar travel badger brush, Dr. Harris soap, Taylor of Old Brad Street after shave gel, strop, 4000/8000 Norton, Belgian Coticule, MAAS polish, different grade rogues, restoration CD, Dremel polish supplies, lots of sand paper, storage boxes, and other odds and ends. Most of this is not necessary for just shaving and maintaining, but as I said, I am sick.

I started about 3 weeks ago. Here's what happened, in order:

$25 - Pure Badger Brush, ebay
$2 - wide mug, WallyWorld
$21 - new Wapi razor, ebay
$102 - Norton 4k/8k + Norton Lapping Stone + Col. Conk soap, Vintage Blades
$20 - cheap strop (but it works), ebay
$10 - C.O. Bigalow cream, Bath and Body Works
$63 - Spyderco UF, WoodCraft
----------------
$243


So for a very basic self-sufficient setup, it seems about $200-250 will be a good ballpark estimate. Granted, I could have made it a hair under $200 if I would have chosen a chinese 12k and picked up a boar brush, but the spyderco and badger brush are two things I decided I wanted.

Now, the next step (a nice Tosuke razor, TM strop, Georgetown Scutte someday) will almost double my investment. Which sucks because I am a college student. But hey, people spend their money different ways. I spent a grand total of $10 on gas in the whole past 3 months, so I like to use that to justify the shaving expenses ;)

I spent about $170 for a kit from Jim at Vintage Blades and then invested in several razors from ebay and antique stores. This brought me up to about $230. If you neglect to count the hones I already own (vintage combo belgian, multiple barber hones, several DMT's, and pasted strops) that were already in use on woodworking tools, I feel like I got out very light for a whole bunch of really sharp blades and the best shaves I've ever had.

My first shave (and so many subsequent) was $40 out of pocket (double that if you count the other razor that I bought from altima55 and dropped while marveling at). That's the cost of the razor bought from a honemeister. The strop was made for me by a generous member (I think I'm keeping it forever) and the nice super badger brush was donated by another generous member (it is already passed on to somebody else).
I've spent a lot more since.
400 seems a little excessive to start on and one of the best ways to get an inferior starter razor is to buy it on ebay.

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.

Quote:

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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!!!

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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! :p )

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. :tu

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

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!! :D

My start up expenses were:

1. No name $13 Ebay razor - was pitted and is now a practice razor
2. Two vintage razors on Ebay $15 - one is a Shumate and the other is a Wade&Butcher. These two are what I use regularly with the WB being my daily razor. I have been at it for about 6 months now.
3. 1k/6k King stone - $22
4. CrO stick - $9
5. Fake leather 3" wide strap from Goodwill - $2.50
6. Mothers metal polish - $5.

I find that the metal polish works better than CrO and that is what I use regularly. My "wasted" money was on the no-name razor and on the CrO stick. So if you are careful, you can get yourself a starter kit for less than $50. BTW, I use Edge goo in a can since I had a 4-pack from when used cartridge razors and no brush to put the lather on. It works well enough for me.

I started approximately a month ago and I'm in for about 2 to 3k usd I think:confused:. But this includes something I ordered but have not received yet.

And over against all of these wide-ranging startup investments, bear in mind that a pack of Gillette disposable blades runs, what, 8 bucks or so at least? And that's 8 bucks that you shell out over and over again (and send to the landfill over and over again, if that's an issue for you as it is for me). If you manage not to succumb to the various Acquisition Disorders (which is looking like a *big* "if") :) , I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up saving money in the long run.

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Originally Posted by rastewart

And over against all of these wide-ranging startup investments, bear in mind that a pack of Gillette disposable blades runs, what, 8 bucks or so at least? And that's 8 bucks that you shell out over and over again (and send to the landfill over and over again, if that's an issue for you as it is for me). If you manage not to succumb to the various Acquisition Disorders (which is looking like a *big* "if") :) , I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up saving money in the long run.

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And a Feather AC cost $80, with no need for a strop or hone. Blades run about $25 a year. If there's straight shavers who don't keep accumulating blades/strops/hones, I don't thin I've met them. You don't get into this thing to save money.

My start up costs were $44 total.

$32 for the razor bought here from Dr. Fred

$10 for mug and boar hair brush from wall mart

$2 for styptic pencil

and I just bought a Tony Miller Strop for $35 shipped, but I didn't really need it(check out my thread in Strops forum on my impulse buy :D)

who knows eight years later and I am still buying

about $200 without products (eg shaving cream etc), if you count products probably another 100 on top of that.

Realistically I could have gotten away with much less than I did.

Well scratch that initial post. I just bought another razor, another $50 gone :w

I spent $199 US for a razor, a bunch of soap, strop and Norton stone. (no brush :()

The razor wasn't very sharp and I haven't been able to get it as sharp as I want yet though, so I've bought two more razors ($65) promised to be sharp and am waiting for them to arrive in the mail. What's nice about this forum though is that I am confident I can sell whichever two razors I like the least and remain under $200 spent.

Oh and not to discourage you or anything, but I'm still having to finish up my straight shaves with my old Mach II blades. Is it lack of blade sharpness, shaving technique, proper soap and/or application, or a combination of these things, etc etc? So I know the original post was "Cost of Startup" but I spent $200 just trying to startup as I am still battling for a decent shave over my whole face

My biggest expense was my actual 1st razor. Purchased from a member here (Mike_Ratliff) and is a superb Drees.

I think my initial outlay was about $200 total, including:

Razor (from here)
Vulfix Super Badger brush and stand
Strop
Styptic pencil :)
Soap
Lynn's DVD (an absolute MUST if just starting)

Most of what I started with was a shot in the dark from classicshaving.com. Not a bad way to go, but it was hard since I had nothing to base a decision on.

Having to do it all over again, I would again buy from a trusted source here for the razor. If Topher is still making kits, that is the biggest no-brainer since breating air. If not, Tony Miller and Jim have good kits and if you ask around, you can get started cheap. I spent more than I intended, but it was less than I would have spent on a replacement Braun electric (which I was looking at).

I decided later what my preferences were and I will be up-grading my strop and such. I'm glad I went with an inexpensive strop (Illinois in my case) since I nicked it up learning. I have spent some on various stuff, including a razor that my wife wants to kill me for. I costs more than my entire start-up, but it is something I want and will use for a very long time. That is one aspect that can't be overlooked; for many some of the purchases are emotional! That's not a bad thing mind you since the items you choose are a reflection of your personality in a lot of cases. VERY few folks will ever see any of my razors, but I will so I am building a collection of what I like since I will use them each day!

v/r

Allen

Cost of start-up? Nothing, well almost nothing as I had all I needed from decades ago when I used a real razor before going into the Army. Emerging from the Army, I decided that I needed to be more hirsute and grew a beard and that lasted for the intervening decades. I'm not sure of the horse-cart thing here so don't know if I found this site first or first decided to find my old razor and start with the straight shaving. But now we come to current circumstance where I, with what I assume to be glazed eyes, will look at a new or newly different item of shaving gear and drone in an acquistionally dulled disorderly monotone, "I need that, now; get that now."

Start-up costs? Nearly nothing. Maintenance costs? Probably beyond count. And the count mounts. :gth

i plan on spending somewhere between 100 and 300 by the time i have everything to shave. btw hi im new. originally on the shave den. look forward to sharing my shave adventure with you guys!


King

Let's see.... I figure I've got about 40 years left to live on this planet if I'm lucky! To save money, I'm gonna buy myself all the Mach 3 blades I'll need for the rest of my life. I figure $2.00 a week ought to cover the blade costs by itself. So... $2.00 a week times 52 weeks a year times 40 years is $4160.00 and I didn't add the cost of canned foam or anything else. Now, if you WAIT and buy your blades a few months at a time, that cost is gonna go WAY up.

I'm pretty sure that as long as I stay away from 1 grand plus Maestro blades, I can pick up enough straights, brushes, creams, soaps, hones and whatnot else to last me way beyond 40 years and like I said, I never included the costs of anything else, only the blades for a Mach 3 in my initial calculations. Seems to me that straight shaving is a bloody bargain compared to the modern way of doing things.

$300.00 for hones,
$400.00 for 3 or 4 quite nice brushes
$300.00 for 6 reasonable nice ebay razors or 3 new razors of acceptable quality.
$200.00 for 3 or 4 strops
= $1200.00, leaving $2960.00 for soaps/creams/aftershaves and whatever else you desire and like I said, the Mach 3 scenario didn't include the costs of soaps/creams/canned foam or aftershaves. Add that and I'd say you're a fool with your money not to go with straights and high end shaving creams, soaps and aftershaves. :D

So yeah, Gillette sucks you in with a lower startup cost but they'll get you in the end.

My two cents worth...


Kaptain "I always reach for a calculator" Zero

This is one pastime/art/experience/hobby or anything else you want to call it that truly offers both ends of the spectrum and anything in between in relation to cost. Criminy, a properly honed razor can be stropped on newspaper! That's the one end of the spectrum. The other end is pretty much limitless, thousands, tens of thousands of dollars and can pretty much consume every available spare thought. I don't want to say where I'm at money wise into this since last year. Do as I say (start cheap), not as I do.;):o:D

Chris L

I'm still waiting for everything to ship (newbie here), but it looks like my initial investment's around... $120ish, for a shave-ready razor (from here), a beginner's strop, a sampler of soaps, and a cheapish brush. I'm planning to get a stone eventually, once I figure out how to use the razor without killing myself. ;)

I figure, if I work out the honing, I can succumb to RAD, but just get cheap, old, dull razors and work them up to sharp and shiny (in theory), which would work much better on a student's income.

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Originally Posted by Abraxel

I'm still waiting for everything to ship (newbie here), but it looks like my initial investment's around... $120ish, for a shave-ready razor (from here), a beginner's strop, a sampler of soaps, and a cheapish brush. I'm planning to get a stone eventually, once I figure out how to use the razor without killing myself. ;)

I figure, if I work out the honing, I can succumb to RAD, but just get cheap, old, dull razors and work them up to sharp and shiny (in theory), which would work much better on a student's income.

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I'd kick that up just a hair. I think even a beginner will want both a hanging strop and a paddle strop to sweeten a blade. You could go for a 4-sided paddle with a plain leather side, but I like my hanging strop with canvas in parallel with the 2-sided pasted paddle.

Without something to sweeten a blade every now and again, you're setting yourself up for a purchase down the line, or maybe even a less than satisfying experience.

This stuff is complex enough. You want to give yourself the best chance of success.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottS

I'd kick that up just a hair. I think even a beginner will want both a hanging strop and a paddle strop to sweeten a blade. You could go for a 4-sided paddle with a plain leather side, but I like my hanging strop with canvas in parallel with the 2-sided pasted paddle.

Without something to sweeten a blade every now and again, you're setting yourself up for a purchase down the line, or maybe even a less than satisfying experience.

This stuff is complex enough. You want to give yourself the best chance of success.

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It definitely seems like a good call to use a pasted paddle. I've already ordered the hanging strop, so I'll probably be getting a 2-sided paddle eventually (I'll wait a bit for the finances to catch up, but it will probably still count under the initial investment). The 4-sided all-purpose strop looks awesome, but it'll have to wait a bit, until I decide I really really want one.

Speaking of pasted strops, I'm not too clear on the process. How often should I use one? What kind of paste? How exactly do I do it? This is one facet of shaving that I haven't seen much instruction on so far. Is there a thread or website someone might be able to point me to so I don't hijack this thread?

Edit: I could have sworn I seached for this the same way just hours ago and got nothing, but this is just what I was looking for: http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=17886

I only see one thing missing

Learning to shave with three inches of the worlds sharpest steel = $$ Priceless :D

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

$4160.00 and I didn't add the cost of canned foam or anything else. Now, if you WAIT and buy your blades a few months at a time, that cost is gonna go WAY up.

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Ah...I love math. Now I can Afford anything I want!!!:w

Heh... I just checked the current prices on cartridges in the local grocery store here... worked out to $4.00 a blade... I never got more than 5 or 6 comfortable shaves out of a Mach 3 blade... so I guess you could double my estimate to a little over 8 grand for me! :roflmao

Regards

Kaptain "Anyone got the number for Shaptons ordering line?!?! :D" Zero