Thread: Trying to keep this cheap

So I bought two straights off this forum, both look really nice and I'm looking forward to getting them. I payed $75 for one and $45 for the other, so really that isn't that bad, less then a decent electric shaver cost. Anyway, I'm wanting to try and keep this hobby cheap so that I'm not wasting money like I do whenever I get on one of my kicks. I have an old barber hone already, problem is at one time it broke in half, so I epoxied it together and now I'm trying to lap it down so that it is perfectly flat with wet sandpaper. This is a long process, but it is coming along and the stone is looking better and better all the time. Next I went to an antique shop today and purchased a strop, they had some razors too, but they were all chipped to bad for me to buy. The strop is old and consists of two leather pieces about 14" long bound at the top with a clip for hanging. One side of each piece was pretty worn, but the other side was in good shape, so I took the clip apart and flipped them over. I stropped my pocket knife with it (which had just been honed on a Lansky sharpener and it could shave arm hairs off with ease after stropping, so it works. I watched Lynn' videos on here and I'm pretty pumped to get my razors and try them out. I have to get a brush and all that from Walmart. My local Walmart sells brushes and soaps for wet shaving, I'll start with that and move up with fancy stuff if this is something I keep doing. Anyway, so far this is pretty cool, I have a bad RAD though and I can't seem to stay away from ebay, so far all I bidded on went for way too much for me though. Thanks to Cobo and Gugi for the two nice razors I have coming

Sounds like you're on your way!!

I do recommend investing in some good soap. It will really make your shave better but starting off cheap will just help you appreciate the good stuff more.

"decent electric shaver"

Well, soon you will have learned the error of this statement.

Best of luck to you, it really is a blast, just stick with it and ask for help when you need it. The folks here are great.

By any chance the Walmart brush wasn't a Wilkinson Sword brush, was it?

If so, you'll eventually probably want to get yourself a better brush. I bought one to leave at my girlfriend's place and I find the Wilkinson is too soft, which makes it difficult to really pack in the lather in. Some Shoppers Drug Marts carry an Omega, which I hear is a bit better.

It sounds like you got a pretty nice vintage strop, though. Welcome to the world of straight shaving.

Oh, and one last piece of last minute advice... Try to keep relaxed. If you're like me, when it actually comes time to do the shaving you may get a touch nervous the first time... It's actually much, much easier than it sounds. You may find your first shave or two leaves your face a little uncomfortable, but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly, and you're not likely to nick yourself any worse than you would with any other razor.

You may also want to pick up some aftershave. For a little while I used a Nivia moisturizing aftershave... but I quickly switched to a high alchohol content aftershave, it may burn like a bastard sometimes, but it makes you feel all nice and clean and sanitized. :P

Now, as for keeping it cheap... Just don't go wild on buying razors, hones or brushes and you should be fine. I went /nuts/ on buying razors, so it cost me a small fortune but a friend of mine has only one razor, one strop and so on... So doing it cheap can be done. :P

Hope you enjoy the Clauss!

I have an old barber hone already, problem is at one time it broke in half, so I epoxied it together and now I'm trying to lap it down so that it is perfectly flat with wet sandpaper.

This is the part of your post that caught my eye, and made my heart skip.
When you say flat, I hope you understand just how perfect you need this hone to be. I'm not sure how the blade will react when it crosses over the epoyx, but if there is the slightest flaw, you won't get the results you are looking for... and may damage your blades.

I would suggest posting a WTB in the B/S/T section for an inexpensive barber's hone, and save the broken one for your pocket knives...


Keep in ind that something as small as a speck of sand on the surface of your hone can chip the edge.

Originally Posted by Mike_ratliff

This is the part of your post that caught my eye, and made my heart skip.
When you say flat, I hope you understand just how perfect you need this hone to be. I'm not sure how the blade will react when it crosses over the epoyx, but if there is the slightest flaw, you won't get the results you are looking for... and may damage your blades.

I would suggest posting a WTB in the B/S/T section for an inexpensive barber's hone, and save the broken one for your pocket knives...


Keep in ind that something as small as a speck of sand on the surface of your hone can chip the edge.

+1 on this advise. I'd really call into question any hone that had been previously broken. The edge you need on a straight is just too sharp to allow for any minor imperfection.

OK, best way to keep it cheap is to run far, far away from this site, so you will not be tempted by the sights of glistening carbon perfection, and highly polished scales beckoning to you with come hither looks...

The fine, rich Latigo strops bejeweled with shiny rings and clasps...

The many scented aromas of fine milled shave creams and soaps...

Beware also the soft, fine silvertip badger brushes......


No, no my friend have your crew bind thee to the mast so that ye may resist the siren call!


P.S.- Descend not either into the many leveled Hell that is Ebay


Welcome to SRP!!!

You'll note that Ulysses sports a full beard, and is valliantly resisting RAD.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

You'll note that Ulysses sports a full beard, and is valliantly resisting RAD.

You will also note the fact that he looks particularly unhappy with his life at that point in time. Me? I say, embrace the various acquisition disorders, shave the face, hang out with teh nekkid ladies and be happy!

Im with you joke!!!!!!