Thread: What do I need to get started?

I have another question:
can I press the "Thank" button for everyone who replied or is that against the rules?

Honestly, thank you all for the replies.

Gssixgun, I'm crossing my fingers for that drawing!

I think that I will buy a starter kit from Kenrup. It is a Double Arrow and it comes with a Strop, for an unusually reasonable price, and shave ready! then, RAD can set in...

That's HIM Kenrup - he's who I was thinking off.
Lots of good comments about his gear, I'd say good for anyone not just the very new
Well done that man.

I got my starter kit from the Topher, not sure if he still does that or not. Just looked up Kenrup's deal. I think the Topher set was around $150 when I got it, but that was for a honed razor, Tony Miller strop, shavemac brush and an assortment of sample soaps/aftershave from Mamabear and TGQ. It is/was an expensive way to start but I think it was good to know I had a "complete" setup.

Of course since then I've added 3 more razors, a few shaving bowls, a skuttle a hone. About a month into it I'd made my bank account around $300 lighter. The good news is unless you have very advanced RAD, this sort of tapers off after a while. I'm contentent with my 4 razors, shaving soaps/creams are more expensive than the 99c can of Gillette at wal-mart, but last long enough that it doesn't seem like a bad deal.. I bought 2 tubs of Mamabear soap 5 months ago, and can barely tell i've consumed any.

Right now I'm dealing with SCAD as there's such a mind boggling array of scents, aftershaves, soaps etc out there and I wanna try em all!! However when all is said and done.. I'm a roundabout convert from electric shaving (switched to "wet" shaving a few years ago), and back then I was paying ~$30/month for new blades for my norelco, and hated shaving. So that's $360/year just to maintain the electric razor, plus over time you have to replace the razor itself.. For similar $$ I have acquired a lifetime worth of blades (not that I won't ever buy more, but if I do, its because I *want* to not because I *need* to), top quality accessories, and an enjoyable new hobby. I think in the LONG run this will actually save me some $$ over plain ol cartridge razor shaving as well, but right now I want a new Tony Miller Artisan Strop, maybe a finer grade brush, and just about everything Castle Forbes and Truefitt and Hill makes.. I guess like any hobby... there's always something!

Actually you cant go far wrong with this one from eBay. Thats pretty much what I started with. But you will NEED to get it honed by a honemeister from the forum.