Thread: Thinking about going to a straight razor

Hello,

I'm seriously considering switching to a straight razor for several reasons and had a question. Is this a good set for a beginner on a grad students income or would I be better off just getting the razor and getting everything else elsewear? I've seen post hear saying that the razor is good quality but nothing on everything else.

VintageÂBladesÂLLCÂ::...

Thank you for any insights

At a glance, that looks like a pretty good value and Jim at VB is a pleasure to deal with. If you wanted to nitpick, you might be able to save a few bucks, but it would be marginal. Good choice.

Be patient with the learning process and you will be rewarded. Enjoy.

Jordan

at first welcome..
My personal opinion will be please check classified first.check it out regularly and send pm seller tell about your situation.i think those will help you and you will end up less expensive and with better razor.Remember classified seller belong to to this forum and everyone does their best to make buyer's happy.Try that it will help.i am not saying blade which you choose is bad one just there is a lot better chooses you can make in classified.

You're much better off getting a shave ready razor here from our Classifieds section. Seek out our members and vendors for all your needs first and branch out from there.

X

Helo Errnest,

I'd say that the package you're considering should stand you in good stead. Your choice of vendors is excellent. I've purchased a few things several times from Jim at Vintage Blades and have never been less than completely satisfied with his products and fast shipping.

It is possible that in the future you may decide to change some of your choices of brush, of soap, of razor, of strop, of etc. All of us here who have various of the Acquisition Disorders have enhanced our shaving products battery several times, but only from the experience of what we previously purchased and the curiosity of what something else will do differently... not necessarily better.

One addition is to get a styptic pencil or alum block to help stanch the blood oozing from minor nicks that you likely will get while getting a feel for your straight razor.

Since each of us is different, my next observation is that pinch of salt thing: I am slightly larger than average and my slightly larger than average face and fingers work more felicitously with a 6/8 blade than a 5/8 blade. Unfortunately this is something you may never know without shaving with both sizes. There are those who like shaving with even larger blades. There are those who claim to be able to shave with a double bit axe. Does size matter?

In the future you will need a hone and/or a pasted paddle strop to touch up and refresh the edge on your razor. In the old days you could go to a barber for that service; now you'd be met with blank stares with that request unless the barber were quite, quite avuncular, grandfatherly even.

Good luck, I think your choices are sound.

It's a fine set, but you'd have throw in the honing service by Lynn Abrams, so add another 20 bucks. Dovo makes a great razor. Me, personally, I'd get the 6/8th. That's just my preference. I agree with the others. I would check the classifieds first and see what kind of deal you can get there.

Everything in that kit is good solid stuff. None of it the best on the market, but its not top end priced either. Picking pieces separately might save you a few buck, or possibly not.

A few ways to put together a kit cheaper would be:

Get a boar brush to start with, this is probably the number one saver when compared to this kit, a cheap boar brush can be had for as little as $5. There are entry level badger brushes like the tweezerman or crabtree and evlyn ones that are cheaper alternatives as well.

Get a vintage razor in the classifieds, this can save you a bit as well, a vintage razor is generaly less costly. Pick a popular brand though or an unknown (to us) vendor and you could see costs skyrocket.

The mug is a nice accessory to have, there is a coolness factor to those shaving mugs, but you can use any coffee cup and most bowls saving this minor expense to put into something else.

The soap isn't going to get much cheaper I'm afraid, The Col. isn't a very expensive soap and it does perform quite well for its price. There are cheaper soaps and some of them even perform Ok but we are talking like a bucks savings here.

The strop also isn't going to get much cheaper, not if you want quality leather (you do).

In conclusion there are ways to put together a cheaper kit but if you want all new equipment and don't want to wait for some unlikely sales that kit presents probably one of the best values out there.

Originally Posted by zib

It's a fine set, but you'd have throw in the honing service by Lynn Abrams, so add another 20 bucks.

Actually, I think that is not quite true, because the set includes a professionally honed Dovo and this service is provided by Lynn Abrams.

Originally Posted by zib

Dovo makes a great razor. Me, personally, I'd get the 6/8th. That's just my preference. I agree with the others. I would check the classifieds first and see what kind of deal you can get there.

Dovo do make great razors, and Vintage Blades offers them at great (i.e. cheaper than in Germany, where they are actually made) prices. And unless you are looking for a particular make or model, you will be hard pressed finding a better value for money in the Classifieds than this particular Dovo.

In short: Very interesting offer by VB at a great price. You may achieve similar results with different setups, but you cannot go wrong with it, either.

If you are not 100% sure about straights, then I would go with a razor from the classifieds. Kenrup puts together a nice starter kit that you might want to consider.

I did some more looking at the clasifieds (nothing there the first several times). and this is what I decided on.

WADE & BUTCHER ORIGINAL BOW RAZOR from hi_bud_gi (he had another that was also good but someone beat me to it)

strop from Lynn

I'll pick up a brush from crabtree and evlyn tommorwo when I go run errands

Lynn's dvd

Total- 180 including the dvd

I'm looking forward to what I hope will eventually be a close AND confortable shave (not to mention not paying for and filling landfills with disposables.