Hey guys,

So this whole straight razor thing looks pretty cost-effective and bad ass. However:

How often would I have to hone the thing ? What exactly is 4000/8000 grit?

How can I tell if it's "shave ready" or not? Will it say somewhere on the site / in the shop? Should I be wary of manufacturers that may tell me it's shave-ready? What's 4/8 6/8 3/8 what's all that supposed to mean?

Can someone post the URL of brands to avoid ?

Assuming you have a budget of anywhere between 50 and 350 dollars, is it really worth buying a super-expensive razor? I read something on wikipedia about hollow, double hollow, double edge and extra hollow. What does all this mean? Is there a list of razors that are hollow, or is that something that would be advertised? What's the best razor for shaving every day?

How much "should" it cost to put together a good straight razor kit? I don't care about material properties like colour or finish or whatever, I just want functionality.

What's the best place to buy a razor? Online? Store? Does it make a difference if you can see the thing up close?

Do I really need more than one razor if I shave once a day at the same time every day?

I don't want to waste anyone's time, so is there a URL to somewhere where I can be brought up to speed on everything I should know about straight razors? I mean all this lingo, it's a little confusing and it makes me feel like I should know way more than I currently do before just buying something that says "Dovo" or "Solingen" on it.

Any replies from anyone who knows about this stuff would be greatly appreciated.