Thread: Student Budget

Hi everyone, I'm just starting to look in to what it would take to set myself up with a straight razor kit, but I'm on a tight budget. Considering that it would cost me $50 to get a safety razor kit at CostCo, I'm willing to go double that on a kit.

I've noticed this blade in the classifieds...
Casco by Field Cut. Co. Germany – 11/16”, celluloid scales - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

and these on Amazon...
Amazon.com: Fromm Straight Razor #72r * 5/8" Round Point: Health & Personal Care
Amazon.com: Fromm Straight Razor, 5/8": Health & Personal Care

I've noticed Fromm is not in the list of Brands to Avoid, but then again I don't know much about any brands at all.

Asides from the blade I haven't done much research yet. I think that in a severely limited budget I should be trying to get the best blade for my money and then be worrying about the other items in the kit, no?

Thanks anyone for responding and I hope I can try a straight blade soon enough!

When it comes to new straight razors, you get what you pay for.

I think a $55 straight is not a good investment. Your money would be FAR better spent with a straight from the classifieds.

In addition, if you buy that $55 razor from amazon, it will most certainly not be sharp enough to shave with. So, you'll have to buy a set of hones and learn how to use them ($115 at the absolute cheapest) or sent it out to be honed which runs around $20 plus shipping both ways.

A "shave ready" razor from the classifieds is just that. Shave ready.

Out of curiosity, what are you going to school for?

Culinary Arts, which is another reason I want to use a straight razor. The more I get to handle a sharp blade, the merrier.

The classified ad I linked to seems like a better deal to me, but since it's not a round edge, I'm a little wary of going for it as I've never handled a blade before.

Also, as far as getting a good razor first and adding the rest of the kit later, that really doesn't work so well.

At the absolute minimum, you need the following

shave ready razor
strop
brush
soap or creme.

You can go to wal*mart and pick up a VHD shaving soap kit with a bar of shave soap, a boar bristle shave brush, and a nice little bowl for $10. It's not great stuff, but perfectly adequate.

The razor you linked from the classifieds is $45 and looks like it's ready to shave.

gratewhitehuntr has a strop for sale here: NOS 24x2 1/2 two part strop - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

It's a combination linen/leather strop, and he's already pasted the back side of the strop for you.


All together, you'll looking at a total of $95, which is $5 less than your stated budget.

Later, you can buy a nicer brush, better soaps and cremes, and all sorts of other goodies, but right there, you're rockin' and rollin' within your budget.

Originally Posted by mrvagabond

The classified ad I linked to seems like a better deal to me, but since it's not a round edge, I'm a little wary of going for it as I've never handled a blade before.

Don't worry about it.

My first razor was a square point, and it really wasn't a big problem.

You'll nick yourself with the point a couple times, but no big deal. Frankly, I think it's probably a good thing. It forces you to pay more attention to what you're doing.

Also, the point on that one is slightly rounded from honing. Some razors come to a 90 degree angle, or even a slightly acute angle. Those are the one's you want to avoid when learning.

Well it looks like VeeDub beat me to it. But now you have an idea which way to go. Keep browsing around the site there's lots of stuff to learn; and don't be afraid to ask questions, people here are more than happy to help you out. I've been a member for a month and just recently decided what to get. That could be another way to add a little on to that budget too (just a thought).

I'm going to get crucified for this advice so ignore it....

DIY Strop? While saving for a nice one? I have been stropping on an old crinkle free belt that I lapped with a diamond hone for a while but now moved to some unpasted balsa wood I keep in the bathroom....


Although I'm not sure I'm keeping my razors at their peak for the longest amount of time but I have hones about for touch ups every so often...

(and actually that suggested strop looks pretty nice and like a good deal) though again the DIY folks with more time skills and tools can allow for other creativity... few users on here who have made their own leather strops and then we have folks like *cough* Tony.... heh

I would say +1 to VeeDubs advice. especially if your budget is $100. Can't go wrong, and that is a beautiful blade. I was shaving for 2 or 3 months on about $35 worth of equipment- ebay blade that a member sharpened for me, touch ups on newspaper (I personally think it is like low grade paste), strop on my levis, later a ****ty illinois strop that I'm gonna replace within a couple months, with the VDH shave set. HOWEVER. If you can afford the $95 I promise you it will be far more worthwhile and that is a great newb set up in my opinion. Also Kenrup is an awesome dude if you schoose to go that way, but Double Arrows are boring and Not-German (very important in my books- I love the Solingens)

The best advice I can give you is to read. Advice about SRS is only useful to a point, that is, there are as many choices as there are opinions. The more you read, and there is more information on this site that you could ever need, the more informed your choices will be. You might regret some purchases, you might 'upgrade' a couple in a few monts time - but that matters little, as long as you make informed choices rather than just bad ones.

Personally, I would go with a razor from the classifieds, if I was in the states I would get a Filly strop (I'm in the UK so bought a vintage ebay effort that I wouldn't trade for anything) I would get a cheap brush and a batch of 'sample' soaps.

Say the razor costs you $40, the strop $20 - gives you plenty of change to mess about with the stuff you can *in my experience* go with the cheaper end of the market.

Incidently, I'm a student and I got everything I needed; razor, strop, brush, 3 creams, a soap, nivea aftershave balm, preshave oil (not strictly nessercery, but handy for starting out/not the warmest water), and a bowl for about $70. It's more than possible.

Just for clarification I don't think this was obvious but the "philly" strop is Kenrup's entry strop. He is an awesome dude.