the art of buying a straight(and keep it sharp)

after deciding that it was time to try some cool straight razor shaving 2 or 3 months ago,i decided to purchase a really well priced zeepk..im talking razor,brush ,soap and strop for 20 bucks..wow...what a deal...nowadays i know there is a reason why pakistani men have long beards and that the saying buy cheap buy twice is one to remember...but after that i found you guys and the: critical info for new members...really good reading,has helped me alot....im still cruising ebay and doing some purchases here and there and so far there´s only been a dubl duck thats been really bad,but a nice fellow from this forum helped me out with some hone work...now i was given a very exclusive bright green straight with disposable russian blades the other day(from a very nice turkish barber)...and sadly i found it giving me a really nice shave..concidering the ammount of vintage razors ive bought this summer thats not a good thing so i made a quick decision to give it away and never look back...but it would be nice if i could get the same sensation with my old ones....i suspect it might be a stropping problem...and i hope time will tell....anyhow....great forum with top notch people

If you are buying vintage razors on ebay you are probably dealing with razors that have sat around for a long time being neglected, they need to be assessed for usability, need to be cleaned , need to be honed. My biggest suggestion for you is to buy a shave ready razor from someone here at the SRP Classifieds and then you will have a standard with which to judge the others. I hope this helps and God Bless!

i am very grateful for all the help i can get.......been looking thru the ads here but i dont really know who to buy from and i really want to buy a truly shave ready "cut a hanging hair" sharp razor this time..

Its simple, everybody here has a reputation to protect, unlike ebay. Find a razor you like in your price range, if that razor is not listed as shave ready, ask the seller, they will be honest with you! You will find that this is the most friendly and informative site on the net. I am proud to be a member! Have fun and good luck!

+1 with nun! If you are a total neophyte (like I was a few months back) then I recommend a few things. First, get a copy of Lynn's CD. It's over 3 hours long and give a good primer in most aspects of straight razors (including honing, stropping, face preparation, lather prep, shaving, aftershaves, etc., etc., etc.). It is a great place to start, and a priceless investment. He freely admits there are many techniques, and that you find one best suited for you. But you have to start somewhere. Why not start it with someone who knows what he is talking about.

Buying your first razor can be daunting, and bewildering. Get your first razor either through the classified, or a starter kit from Kenrup (a member here). Something like a 5/8 or 6/8 round point is a nice first razor. The classifieds has many to choose from at a reasonable price. As nun siad above, when you buy a razor that is listed as shave ready from the classifieds you are getting one that is exactly that. Those selling them have a reputation to to protect. They aren't going to jeopardize their reputations by selling junk. It will be a quality razor.

I mentioned Kenrup because he has excellent razors in his starter kits. Since you will also need a strop he includes that as well. If you do buy from the classifieds you will have to purchase a strop separately. Look through the Vendors Corner forum and you can find some good sources for a strop.

You don't have to give up a mortgage payment to get a good starter set. Don't be afraid to ask questions, either here, or of sellers. They should give you frank and honest answers.

Best of all, welcome to this great site!!

Welcome to SRP!

Welcome to the forum. There are many NEW reasonably priced razors from members selling here. As a rule, MOST of ebay specials are great razors to learn how to hone, learn how to restore and finally shave with them.

But without some experience, your funds would be better spent on a QUALITY starter kit. Kenrup has gotten many kudos and accolades for the sets he sells. Start with a KNOWN shave ready razor-then learn to keep it that way. It really is worth all the effort-KEEP AT IT:rock:

Welcome, and just to back up what you've already been told, I've purchased from both Kenrup and Trey. Both guaranteed the edges on their razors, and they were well and truly shave ready when I got them, and really, really priced generously, too. I'd have paid a LOT more to get what I got, and had I not liked doing this shaving thing, would have really been upset at the outlay. Though I haven't bought from anyone else, I'm confident that any and all of them you could buy from here will provide complete satisfaction.

ASK QUESTIONS!

We are here to help! If you are considering a razor from ebay or the classifieds, post here and ask about it! You will get honest answers and good advice. 99% of what you find in the classifieds will be good to go. Occasionally some folks mark a razor up too high but it happens rarely. Since price is not discussed in the classifieds, it may be hard to pic up on that there. Again, that is very rare but if you are in doubt, ASK!

Good Luck!
:rock:

-Rob

Thanks for all your quick replies...really great people here....since im thinking about leaving this cold country now i have to take it easy with the shopping for a while...but i will be ordering that dvd as soon as things calm down a bit..
Cheers!!