Ogie made an interesting point that I would like to expand on. Art of Shaving has one additional thing to offer new straight razor shavers. They have a barber spa attached to the store where they have a professional barber who does straight razor shaves. They will also let you get some 15 minute lessons from the barber providing that you are not interferring with one of their paying customers. And they will give you the lesson for $0, I got two lessons before I got started and I might still go back for a lesson or two. Here in the US capital there are two Art of Shavings, one at Union Station (a mall/train station) and one at conneticut and L street, one block north of the infamous K street (this is the street where all the congressional lobyists have their offices, when you hear someone talk about Washington lobyists they will talk about K street). I went to the one on L street where the barber was a tall black man with a curley beard, he says that he has used straights for 99.9% of his life but has used a safety once or twice and talks sometimes about the problems with safeties. He taught me to strop and hone, although I could probablt stand another lesson or two on the matter.

Art of Shaving is an excellent place to go pickup the necessary hardware and get some lessons. Although the one on L Street told me that htey did not have any straights in stock so I went on-line to get mine.