Looking for advice on razor purchase.

Hello Everyone! I am a new member and I am looking into buying a straight razor. My wallet is a bit tight at the moment though. I had some questions and was wondering if anyone would post a response with their opinion.

I am thinking of purchasing a straight razor from classicshaving.com so that it is pre-sharpened (or I would have one sharpened if it is not in shaving condition) and was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on particular makers, models, widths, material, etc... I would be looking at $150 or less. Can I purchase a satisfactory razor in that price range? What about strop maker, type, etc...?

Also, I would only be able to afford a cheaper razor and a strop because I would not be able to afford everything now. I already have creams, soaps, and brushes. How long could I expect to shave with a new razor before it needs honing if I shave 1-3 times a week?

Basically, I do not want to make my first straight shaving experience unsatisfactory so I am just looking for any guidance that I can get.

You can go different routes, Wapienikas for around $45, or a Dovo #1516 Special for around $90, this is a great razor

I just bought a Dovo special and was amazed how sharp it was out of the box.

Don't forget you'll need a strop and a finishing stone to keep it sharp.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...TORTSHELL1.jpg

So other than the razor a strop and finishing stone are essential for at least a little while until I can get a second blade, and a honing stone to practice on?

Where did you purchase your Dovo Special?
Where can I get a finishing stone and what exactly is it?

By the way, thank you for your reply!

I put together a beginner's kit which is also a "back to school" special for college folks on a tight budget. I have a pile of vintage razors and I clean them up and hone them to a 30000 grit, I add one of my QuickStrops for $15 and a coticule bout for $65. Don't have the brush figured out yet but I can get you into a very sharp razor, strop, and belgian coticule hone for $115 plus shipping ($12 anywhere in the U.S.).

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Originally Posted by mziter

Hello Everyone! I am a new member and I am looking into buying a straight razor. My wallet is a bit tight at the moment though. I had some questions and was wondering if anyone would post a response with their opinion.

I am thinking of purchasing a straight razor from classicshaving.com so that it is pre-sharpened (or I would have one sharpened if it is not in shaving condition) and was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on particular makers, models, widths, material, etc... I would be looking at $150 or less. Can I purchase a satisfactory razor in that price range? What about strop maker, type, etc...?

Also, I would only be able to afford a cheaper razor and a strop because I would not be able to afford everything now. I already have creams, soaps, and brushes. How long could I expect to shave with a new razor before it needs honing if I shave 1-3 times a week?

Basically, I do not want to make my first straight shaving experience unsatisfactory so I am just looking for any guidance that I can get.

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Welcome to SRP,

Since you say your wallet is tight, the usual route we direct people is the Classifieds. Usually there are a bunch of decent razors which are honed and tested to be shave-ready. Will cost you less than any new razor. Read the stiky post in this section and the few links on the wiki it contains and you'll get some idea.
What howard is offering seems like a rather nice package. The coticules are great stones. You'll probably want a hone eventually even if you don't need it right away and probably can postpone that part for several months.
As long as your razor is honed you'll be good. The differences between razors won't matter until you get fairly proficient and then a lot is a matter of personal preference (still some razors are a whole lot better than others).

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far!

Howard - What is a QuickStrop? Is that just a regular strop? Will it make a significact difference as opposed to a more expensive strop? Also, what is a coticule stone? Is that to just to be done every once in a while to keep the razor sharp or is it for honing? I'm sorry if I am asking a lot of questions, I have Lynn's DVD on the way! :)

Thanks again!

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Originally Posted by mziter

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far!

Howard - What is a QuickStrop? Is that just a regular strop? Will it make a significact difference as opposed to a more expensive strop? Also, what is a coticule stone? Is that to just to be done every once in a while to keep the razor sharp or is it for honing? I'm sorry if I am asking a lot of questions, I have Lynn's DVD on the way! :)

Thanks again!

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First off, welcome to SRP!

From Howard's website (theperfectedge.com);

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***NEW PRODUCT*** 7/14/08 STROPS. In response to inquiries for less costly strops, we have developed the QuickStrop which is a cowhide strop about 22" long and 2" wide with a hook on one end and a handle on the other end. At $15 per strop, these can be used as natural leather strops (hanging) or pasted strops. Custom sizes can be ordered. Talk to Howard at 508-842-7132 9am - 5pm eastern time or email at hschechter@theperfectedge.com

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and

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The Belgian quarry yields two types of stone in two grades. We ONLY buy the Selected Grade which is the best grade. The Blue Stone is a 4000 grit and the Yellow Coticule Stone is an 8000 grit. The Belgian Stones will cut all types of steel since garnet is harder than steel. Use these stones for all kinds of woodworking tools, knives, and straight razors. We recommend only water spritzed on top of the stone to make the slurry.

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If you spend a little time looking around the strop and honing forums (and everywhere else) you'll find a wealth of information and I'm sure you'll make a well-informed purchase.

I hope that helps a bit.

Welcome,
My little bit of advice is to get two less expensive razors as oposed to one higher dollar one. Used shave ready from the classifieds is a good bet. Howards deal also seems good. His stones are all top notch. If funds would permit i would advise the 6X2 couticle over the bout. I have used a bout for about a year and it did a fine job but I just got a 8X2 coticule from Howard and wish I would have saved for it from the start. Also if you go with the coticule have Howard lap it for the $5.00. I laped my own and it took a lot of work on the DMT C to get it flat. This would have been well worth the $5.00.
Don't feel you need a hone right now. I made it a couple of months before needing a stone. I started with a Lynn honed Dovo Special and with careful stroping you could go better than a month without a hone job. If you buy two razors and rotate you could get well past your learning curve on the shaving before you needed to go into the honing learning curve. And you will have your hands full relearning to shave without having to worry about the hone.
Also keep in mind when you start honing that a lot of people have gone to the shapton system. While I have not gone into this realm yet It has tempted me. I already have more in hones than some cars I have driven. I can't spend the money now on the shapton system. If I were starting fresh I would however consider this route.
Another option for maintaing a sharp blade would be pasted strops which I am not going into, just do a search and you will find all you want to read on this subject or most any other subject for that matter.

Don

You're getting some good advice here. Tony Miller's strop is a smart way to go. Make sure you fork out for a high quality coticule. The substandard ones with blue grain through will actually dull your edge. For that price you might look at a Norton combination 4k/8k stone, the one most of us use, and maybe a chromium oxide pasted paddle strop to finish. There are lots of options. Go slow with the purchases. If you find something isn't working for you you can always replace it with something else and resell what you don't need in the classifieds here.

It's an exciting time of anticipation isn't it? :D

X

I have to wait a while before I can order this stuff but I cannot contain myself!!! I have been going crazy just waited for Lynn's DVD to arrive!!! Anyways, I have looked around and I am thinking about getting the coticule to go along with my strop and razor!! Just to be sure though, are we talking about the yellow stone as a fishing stone? I just want to make sure that I am looking at the right one!! Also, if I have it lapped for me do I ever need to lap it again? If so, how ofter? Do I need anything else? To be honest, I don't even no what lapping is. I will look around more though. I swear I don't think I have left this site in days. Haha!

By the way thanks to everyone so far for their patience!

yes, coticule is the name of a (usually yellowto light brown) stone most often mined in ardennes belgium. it is an excellent finishing hone, but it is also quite decent for intermediate work when used with slurry. it doesn't need lapping often, it of course depends on how you use it, but i'd be surprised if you have less than some years between lappings. BTW lapping mean flattening - you rub it with a coarser abrasive media that is flat (another hone, special lapping plate, or sandpaper on a flat surface such as marble tile or glass) and it flattens it.

www.vintagebladesllc.com/vshop/xcart/home.php?cat=106

Look at these. They may not be shave ready but thats nothing a twenty won't fix. I have dealt with Jim at Vintage Blades and can vouch for a good experence. This may get you in for a little less money.

Don

mz,

Were I to start from scratch now, based on my having spent a fair amount of money on razors, strops, hones, pastes, stuff, etc, I'd buy: a honed DOVO 6/8 Special from Straight Razor Designs for $99, a starter (Apprentice?) strop from The Well Shaved Gentleman for $29 and change plus a 2 sided 10" x 3" paddle strop charged with 1 micron diamond and .5 micron chromium oxide. That will get you going and keep you going for months. At some point depending on how well you strop and how tough your beard is, you will need to touch up the edge of your razor on a hone. A coticule is what I have come to rely on (6" x 2" is a nice compromise), but a vintage, good quality barbers hone will also work, as will a host of manmade or other natural stones. For coticules, the Perfect Edge is where to go (get it lapped for a small extra charge).

I suspect a lot of the old timers who shaved with straight razors would bring them to a local barber for touch up and didn't need to own a hone. For us that is probably not an option as barbers can't use straight razors themselves and comply with health regulations, so the modern ones are likely to neither have hones nor know how to use them.

I've made paddle strops for myself with varying degrees of success (making leather from Tandy flat is an interesting excercise) and have come to like the effectiveness of the Thiers Issard strop paste which seems to be a bit more aggressive than 1 micron diamond, but works well for me.

Of course all this stuff comes from a variety of souces, so shipping costs will add up. Amortized over a lifetime of shaving, it's cheap, but start-up costs may put a kink in a beginning shavers often tight budget.

Best of luck and remember that all free advice is worth every penny spent on it.:gl:

good shaving,:tu

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Originally Posted by gugi

yes, coticule is the name of a (usually yellowto light brown) stone most often mined in ardennes belgium. it is an excellent finishing hone, but it is also quite decent for intermediate work when used with slurry. it doesn't need lapping often, it of course depends on how you use it, but i'd be surprised if you have less than some years between lappings. BTW lapping mean flattening - you rub it with a coarser abrasive media that is flat (another hone, special lapping plate, or sandpaper on a flat surface such as marble tile or glass) and it flattens it.

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I know that in Lynn's DVD (I GOT IT YESTERDAY!!!) :yHe talks about the coticule as a finishing stone and makes a slurry. I was not aware that people used a coticule without one. Is that normal practice? Would I want to use it with just a layer or water to touch up because a slurry would be too aggressive?

Thank you everyone!!

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Originally Posted by xman

Make sure you fork out for a high quality coticule. The substandard ones with blue grain through will actually dull your edge.

X

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Are you talking about this stone?

Natural Polishing Water Stone - Woodcraft.com

Ive seen it recommended elsewhere on the site
Apologies for the :HJ mziter Im a newb like yourself! Best of luck starting out!

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Originally Posted by Bones

Are you talking about this stone?

Natural Polishing Water Stone - Woodcraft.com

Ive seen it recommended elsewhere on the site
Apologies for the :HJ mziter Im a newb like yourself! Best of luck starting out!

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No, I'm pretty sure that's not what X meant. The one you're linking to at woodcraft is the 'chinese' stone.
X, I believe is talking about the lower grade coticules. Purchasing a coticule from Howard or from a respected member in the Classifieds should ensure you get a good coticule.
Also, the blue belgian stones are not called coticule. They have larger sized garnets and are rather nice intermediate stones, and I actually like the finish off them, esp. on sheffield steel.