Thread: New Interest in Shaving

Hello, everyone!
Although I am eighteen and have been shaving regularly for a long time now, but my interest in shaving has been peaked recently. I received a free Gillette Fusion razor in a mail a few days after my birthday, and I can say I never knew how good shaving could feel until after my first shave with the Fusion. I had been using cheap disposable razors for a long time, and I never felt that clean feeling after shaving before.

After my father got an old Gillette Fat Boy as a present, and he had been raving about how close it shaves, I started researching about closer shaves. I took one look at a straight razor and I knew that I wanted to try it.

I wanted to know what everyone would suggest for me. I haven't been able to find any straight razors in any stores, and the stores online are very, very expensive, although I know they are not cheap. I am a college student, and I'm having to pay my way through with a low-pay part-time job, so I can't afford much, but I do want something of high quality. Any suggestions on other supplies would be great. I also would like any websites any of you may have that will help me in learning how to shave with straight razors.

Thank all of you for reading, and thanks in advance for the information.

David

Welcome to SRP,

Take the time to read through the stickies and some of the threads esp. in this section and you will find out that most people come here with questions similar to yours.
If your budget isn't much you will probably have to make some trade offs. Usually you can pick a shave-ready razor from the Classifieds here and it will cost you significantly less than a brand new razor of the same or lesser quality, but may have some cosmetic issues. If you have trouble deciding you can always ask for advice.

The classifieds! Where else can you find a $100 razor ready to shave with for $50?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/classifieds

Our tireless forum admin, dwessel (da bomb) gives us great, free platforms like this so SRP members can take advantage of each other's generosity and goodwill
welcome and if you have any questions at all, ask gugi

Hi David, welcome to SRP! You have asked some very good questions. Although your focus has been on the razors themselves, may I point you in some other directions as well? First, not matter what type of razor you are going to use (assuming you are talking about wet shaving), I recommend that you start your purchases with some soaps and an inexpensive brush (don't read that as cheap because you can get a very good brush for under $30). You don't need to purchase a shaving bowl at all. Any glass or ceramic bowl or cup that will hold the soap will do. If you buy shaving cream you will probably still need to use that bowl or cup to whip up the lather. I am still new to straight razors myself so I can't possibly give you any advice on purchasing those, other than to agree that the classifieds are a good place to start. If you do go the straight razor route then you will also need to acquire a strop and some mechanism for periodically refreshing the edge (e.g., a paddle strop or alternative and some CrO or diamond paste). If you buy a straight razor on the classifeds it will likely be shave ready (there is a field in the ad that says that). As such you shouldn't have to sink any money into various hones right away. Hope that helps...

Contact Kenrup for a reasonably priced starter set. He has double arrows and Wapi's that are very nice razors.

Thank all of you for your time.

I will look through some stores for a brush and lather. Since I am on my month break from college, I have plenty of time. Does anyone have any specific brands they prefer?

I think I will go ahead and say that I cannot sharpen anything. I collect knives, and over the years and years I have been trying to sharpen them, I have never been able to get any blade razor sharp. I have even bought sharpening sets and I cannot get them to a razor sharp edge. Will this be a problem? I have practiced, and years later I still can't seem to get any better.

I will look through the classifieds later tonight to see if I like anything, but it may have to wait until my next paycheck. I only have $200 in the bank and I still have text books to buy.

Thanks

David

dkirkc, you'll have to be able to resharpen the razor some way from time to time. There are a several members here who offer sharpening services for $20 and less

You don't have to always use stones either, there are sharpening pastes available that you can sometimes put on leather and just strop your razor across. There is a lot of info on the forum, check out some sharpening methods and what all is involved

I will definitely look through this forum about sharpening. I would love to be able to do it myself, but from my years of trying with knives, I'm not sure if I could. Maybe there is something that I've missed.

David

Maintaining an edge is a lot easier than getting it sharp in the first place. I think virtually anybody can learn to hone or at least maintain their razors. However that's not something you need to worry about right now.

Thanks, gugi.
That actually takes a lot off my mind. I had been worried about it.
I am getting my paycheck on Friday, so I think I'll try to get one then.
I guess the strop something I need to buy soon after. Does anyone
have any preference on brands?