Thread: Yup I'm a newbie

Ok so I made the mistake of thinking that a straight razor is a straight razor without reading the beginners wiki on here and seeing the list of brands to avoid. So I got a "great deal" on ebay for a Zeepk razor . I'd like a recommendation as to a good beginners "kit" with a razor and strop. Possibly a nice stand and mug as well. Thanks in advance.

First of all welcome. Second all is not lost. You can use the Zeepk to practice honing and stropping.

Second Classic shaving may have some Dovo sets that have Col. Conk soaps and the like with them.

Alternately you can buy a good razor here and a strop from one of the guys here, and away you go.

Stay away from hones at this point unless you want a Swaty or other barber type hone for maintaining the edge.

Cheers.

BTW get your soap from TGQ. You won't regret it.

Check the classifieds here at SRP!

All good advice noted above. It probably would help if we knew what your budget is. If you're looking for something in the Zeepk price range that's shave ready you're probably S.O.L.

What's the mug gonna be used for? Do you already have a brush and shave soap/cream?

Ditto on the classifieds her on SRP. You'll get a good shave ready razor of good quality and a better one than most new ones you will find with less money spent.

Don't know if you saw this one...but for $30...a great, SHAVE READY (by a guy who I have heard knows what he's doing on the hones!) razor with that famously smooth Sheffield steel. Try that anywhere else.

You can get a feel for what a shave ready razor is like, take the money you save, get a decent brush (you can get them really inexpensively) and a starter strop, and a decent puck of soap (or cream, whichever you like) and you are ready to rock.

Bengal sheffield Codman $son 5/8 - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Welcome aboard

That would be a great starter and I can sure vouch for it being shave ready when you get it. Bengalls are also good shavers.

I feel your pain.

As I've said many times before, my first straight razor purchase was a zeepk stop, zeepk barber hone, and a 4 piece set of zeepk razors. Total nightmare.


I would STRONGLY encourage you to keep an eye on the classifieds for a few days. I've bought 3 razors through SRP, and had good experiences all around. My first "real" straight was a Henckels and a vintage strop I bought on the classifieds. They were posted together for a good price, and I got to it first.

The razor is still part of my daily rotation (probably always will be) and the strop is still my only strop.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm having a bit of trouble with the lather aspect. I've read the wiki on it several times. Once I get my "lather" worked up and brushed unto my beard within maybe 30 seconds to a minute it disappears. What am I doing wrong? Too much water perhaps, maybe not enough working? Thanks for any advice.

I did buy a razor from the classifieds, I can't wait to try a real razor. Haha.