Well, I decided about a month or 2 ago that I want to shave with a straight razor and have been researching and reading about this whole deal all over the net. Obviously its a bit load of information that needs to be digested and so far this is my plan of attack and I would greatly appreciate it if some of the more experienced people would tell me if I've got this whole thing down right and if anything needs to be changed.
Hone: Honing is, in my opinion, the most difficult part to learn. There is more information out there about honing than about straight razors themselves. I've decided that the Norton 4k/8k will be good enough for me in the beginning and since I do have a budget (even though I don't know what it is yet), I don't really want to invest in another hone just yet. While a finer grit might polish the edge a bit better, as of right now I don't feel like I have another 80 or dollars to spend, considering all the other stuff that needs to be bought. I've read about the Norton Pyramid and I think that should be a fairly good starting point for putting a good edge on a razor straight from the factory. Anyone think that it might not be enough?
Strop: I went to a local barber supply store and he had the Illinois #827 (I think) strop for about 30 bucks and I think I'm going to get that. Should I invest in another one? A better one perhaps? I don't plan on putting anything on this strop other than strop treatment to stop it from drying out and cracking. Any suggestions on that?
Razor: I think I have decided to buy a nice 5/8 hollowed Dovo. I will probably buy a new one just because I like shiny new things out fresh out of the box. From my understanding that size blade is a really good starting point for a newbie like me so that's where I will start. I'm not quite sure which exact model I am going to get yet but I haven't anything bad about Dovos so I feel as though just about any of their razors is going to be a safe choice.
Creams and all that other stuff: For some strange reason I am drawn to the Baxter of California line of products. The review here was fairly positive and after reading some more on their site I have sofar decided to go with their products. They're not too expensive and seem to be of pretty good quality. Before I invest in their stuff though I will be ordering their samples to test out. If i dont like them then I will probably use the Kiss My Face line of products. Both of those companies seem to be making quality products at a decent price that really interest me. Also, alum block for those knicks and cuts and glycerine for a better lather.
Brush: I bought the Art of Shaving starter kit last year and the brush that came with it is still in good condition and considering that I have to buy all this other stuff, I dont really feel like i need to replace it just yet. Someday I plan on investing in a better badger hair brush but until then this one will do just fine.
As I mentioned above, I plan on using the Norton pyramid to hone the blad for the first time and then use the strop to polish it and go from there. If I'm satisfied with the shave then I wont hone again until I feel like its necessary again. I plan on using the strop before each shave, I just don't know how many laps on each side because I've been reading conflicting numbers and I think I'll get the hang of it once I have the actual blade in hand and know how it feels on my face.

How is that for a plan of attack? Anything need to be added? Anything need to be removed? I have a feeling that I'll buy the razor from classicshaving and if I do then I'll probably have them hone for me before they send it out so I know what to look for when I have to hone it.


At this point I'd like to thank everyone for their input and help.