Ready to purchase a SR set from SRD. Need some advice

First, let me say that I think you're making a good choice in vendor. Buying a Dovo from SRD is a very good option especially with the lifetime honing offer. I personally don't own a Best Quality DOVO because I started with a vintage razor that I was able to get cheaper. I do have a DOVO in mother of pearl that I absolutely love, though.

5/8 or 6/8 are both equally recommended for new guys, and the only real consideration of the point type is that you just have to be mindful of that spike or square tip all the time. If you aren't careful, you will end up slicing your cheek with a square tip while shaving other areas (happened to me several times when I was learning). That's the main reason that many recommend a rounded tip for new shavers.

Strop: Personally, I'd change the option to get the best strop available, and also get a cheap strop like a Filly ($20 from rup razor) until you get the hang of stropping technique. Then you'd be able to get the most out of your strop from SRD without as much risk of damaging it.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey. Welcome to SRP too :)

What is your budget?

I too am partial to the non-round points. If you want to get the least expensive blade with a spike point, look at the 5/8 Ebony. It looks like it's the same blade as the Bismark without the bone handles. The Bismark is very well regarded on these forums.

I wouldn't worry too much about damaging the blade while stopping. Sure you can mess up the edge, but it will dull eventually no matter what you do. You won't be able to hurt it enough that Lynn can't fix it. Since you get lifetime honing, you can get it fixed up easy enough in case you do dull the edge by poor stropping.

You should be more concerned about ruining the strop. The standard advice here is to not get an expensive stop as your first. I agree 100%. I made my first strop. I didn't nick it for many weeks. It wasn't until I had a "real" strop coming from SRD that I nicked my old one. I'm sure glad it was that one. I didn't get the upgraded strop and I ordered the razor/strop combo as well. I find the 2" latigo plenty wide. You need to learn the X pattern anyway, so the 2" might help force you to use good form. It's often been said, but it's worth repeating... Go slow, stropping isn't a race.
Doing it well is much more important than doing it quickly. Read the wiki on stropping. There is valuable info there ;)

The Filly from Rup is another good option for a started strop, but I think the combo deal at SRD makes the 2" about the same price and you get a nice swivel and handles. The 2" latigo from SRD is a really nice strop. Another option is to order a Tony Miller strop. Some consider his the best! When you buy a strop from him, he offers a "practice strop" as well for only $7.50. You can only get it when ordering another strop I believe. This would be an ideal option as you get a strop to ruin and then have a nice one ready when you are ready for it.

Make sure you read the wikis. There is a lot to learn at the beginning. Read the posts from other newbies and learn from their mistakes.

:gl:

Welcome to the site!
5/8 or 6/8 is a good place to start. Usually round points are recommended so you don't lose an ear, but since you've been dealing with what is effectively a spike at each end of your current set up, I'm sure you'll be ok!

You will damage your first strop. The SRD strop's are lovely. You should probably save it till you've had plenty of practise. Kenrup does a good honest starter, as does Tony Miller. Consider them too. If you want the ease of buying from one place, get the strop, but bear in mind, you will want another when you feel more proficient.

At first welcome.
Second buying from SRD AT THE MOMENT IS PRICELESS.
GL

Welcome to SRP.

I am impartial wrt the razors. I find the imitation tortoise visually unattractive, but otherwise a nice razor - that is personal preference, though.

As far as the strop is concerned, I would indeed upgrade to the 3". Damaging the strop is not an issue, either, as you can get replacement parts serparately. Which makes the Filly strop a far less attractive offer than if your budget was restricted.

And unless you had already planned to do that or already own such, do get some quality soaps or creams.

Happy hunting, and do keep us updated.

Regards,
Robin

Welcome to SRP. I like a 5/8 as much as a 6/8 and personally think one is as good as the other. I too would go with the 3" upgrade on the strop. I really love the premium 1 but like everything else in wet shaving it is largely personal preference. Check out the SRP Wiki beginner's guide here if you haven't already. :gl:

esp,

My vote is for the 6/8 fake tortise Special - I think the scales are the bees knees. I have one and use others as well, but it won't leave my rotation. Both it and the blond "Best" have jimps on the top and bottom of the shank which I think is an advantage. My hands are maybe a bit bigger than average and the razor just "fits". I also am a fan of the 3" strop. I've never nicked or sliced a strop, so I'm not sure if it is necessary to start small and cheap. As with shaving just watch the blade and you should be fine.

good luck, good shaving,

:beer2:

welcome to srp.
i quite like the tortoise special too, although if you need to do sharp lines on your face a square point can't be beat.
i do like 2.5" strops best but after using 3" ones for a while i'm kinda used to it, but given the option wouldn't take it (yes it may be strange, but that's how it is).
I prefer 6/8 to 5/8 too, but i don't think you should worry too much. usually the difference is about $5, so if it's an option pick the 6/8.

good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gugi

welcome to srp.
i quite like the tortoise special too, although if you need to do sharp lines on your face a square point can't be beat.
i do like 2.5" strops best but after using 3" ones for a while i'm kinda used to it, but given the option wouldn't take it (yes it may be strange, but that's how it is).
I prefer 6/8 to 5/8 too, but i don't think you should worry too much. usually the difference is about $5, so if it's an option pick the 6/8.

good luck

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I quite agree with you on the 2 1/2" strop. I'm using 2 3" strops now, but I'll switch back to 2 1/2" with my next strop purchase.

For my budget I would say 150$-160$

In the last few hours I've been thinking it would be better to just consider just a SR and Strop set. With the Wet shaving set I would be getting things I need but , I could use that money on a better razor that would have the free honing for as long as I own the SR. The Bismarck?

If you guys even think its better for me to just by a nice SR from SRD and buy the Filly strop I will.

There also will be time for me in the future to get my spike. I'm on the fence with the Spike. I guess what I'm using now is a round point?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70...r/DSC00222.jpg

The main issue for me now and in the past is the learning curve for proper strop technique. It was always the reason why I never bought a true SR.

How will these "True" SR compare to my current razor?

I also plan on buying Lynn's DVD.

I just looked at SRD and when you buy the strop with the razor you're paying about $30 for it. I think the extra $10 over the fili is well worth the fabric component as well as a real hardware.

The tip of the DE blade is sharp, but then you have the protruding part of the holder, so I suppose it may indeed be more like a round point than a square point.
If you're thinking that you can experiment with another razor later on, it'll make sense to not overly worry about what exactly would you get now.
If you don't use a brush and cream/soap (or good brushless cream) currently, I think you should definitely start. Proper beard preparation is as important as anything else.

Hopefully I don't get in trouble for saying what I think the best deal out there is...

Right now, the strop + Boker razor set at SRD is the best deal IMHO. I get a great Boker razor, and for another 9.40, I get a 2" black latigo. Plus? get this, lifetime honing? That was too good too pass up for me :) Besides the items you need for prep (brush, soap/cream, AS, etc) this is a great way for an existing wet shaver to step right into great straight shaving :)

The Dovo Special Imitation Tortoise is a great razor. i purchased the 5/8 from SRD and love it. As for the strop if you are careful you should be ok and if you do nick it you can always get replacement parts from SRD.

Good Luck. :gl:

Lu

Could you practice using the strop with the old razor (no blade in it) until you feel somewhat comfy with it? Gain some muscle memory?

: edited for stupid typing errors.

my options are

Matched webbing
Herring bone weave
100% Hard Pressed wool felt

Which should I go with?

Webbing for everyday use (or pastes, but that would have to be a separate strop). Felt for abrasive pastes or, in particular, sprays. So you should go with the webbing (or the cotton).

I have the Dovo Best Quality 6/8 (from SRD) and I think it's a great razor. I don't sport facial hair, but I haven't had any difficulty with the round point getting some of the tricky spots, like under my nose. Of course, you could use that shavette to touch up the edges of a goatee if the round point doesn't get 'em.

Sorry Gugi, but I have to disagree with you: I think shavettes aren't round points, they're more like "Double spike point." The razor that's actually cutting whiskers has two corners. Just my opinion, though.:shrug:

Try to go slow on the stropping at first to prevent nicking the leather. Or as suggested by hitman, use your old razor to practice, WITHOUT a razor in it. Worst case, I think you can fix really small nicks in a strop with a dry pumice stone. I know it works for my Filly, but it might be different on smooth leathers.

Whatever you decide to do, I'd make sure to get in your order while that lifetime honing offer is still good!
:gl:

There's gonna be a ton of opinions on whether to go 5/8 or 6/8 on the razor (I have one of each, and frankly can't tell the difference), as well as the strop width (I have 2" and 3" strops).

What I can say is you'll likely nick your first strop, so I'd recommend going with the cheaper one to start, and upgrade after the thing is hanging by a thread...

I also have a goatee, but I don't use a spike (just because I like the shape of the round razor). I trim the hairline by doing the following:

On my XTG passes, I start at the ear, and shave towards the goatee, letting the goatee stop the razor (there is enough resistance to do that).

After my ATG passes, I then go back and lather around the goatee, and I lay the spine of the razor on my goatee, and the edge on the line, and shave away (blade is toe-north, heel-south, shaving towards the ear). I can get a precise trim that way. I *don't* try to get a clean line by moving the razor N-S... Then I shave under my chin the same way (but this time the toe is E and heel is W.

Have fun!
-Chief

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BHChieftain

What I can say is you'll likely nick your first strop, so I'd recommend going with the cheaper one to start, and upgrade after the thing is hanging by a thread...

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Well, the colourful J*el has already blown my cover as a Dovo sales rep, next thing I know, I'll be an SRD promoter.

So here goes: The cost of the SRD strop in the package deal is sufficiently low to warrant a recommendation over any other starting strop. Add to that that replacements for nicked parts (leather, webbing. linen, you name it) can be had equally cheaply, I do not see the need for going to a - comparatively expensive - "beginner only" strop. Needless to say that I personally find a 3" strop much easier to use than a 2" (incidentally, my personal preference being 2.5"...).

When you break down the prices like Robin and Gugi did (should have looked at that myself :boohoo:), it appears to be a tremendous value, and a "no brainer" IMHO. Congrats on taking the first step!

Can you replace parts on that strop or is that an option only available for the better strops?

Also when dealing with the cheaper models such as the Dovo Blond and the Imitation Tortoise Shell are the differences purely cosmetic?

I see the Tortoise one has some gold on it as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

All I can say is, I would not invest heavily into a top line model as a starter razor.

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Why is that? I can see the strop argument, but I don't understand it in regards to the razor. Is it because you won't really know what you want yet? I can't see how using a top quality razor wouldn't help you learn just as well. or maybe better than, one of the low end models.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong. I'm just trying to understand another point of view :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hayduke

Why is that? I can see the strop argument, but I don't understand it in regards to the razor. Is it because you won't really know what you want yet? I can't see how using a top quality razor wouldn't help you learn just as well. or maybe better than, one of the low end models.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong. I'm just trying to understand another point of view :)

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Obviously, I can't speak for Robin, or anyone else. However, the reason that I offer the same advice to guys is because of a couple of factors.

1) Like you mentioned, you don't really know what you like/prefer when you start out.

2) When you start out, you don't even know if you'll want to keep using a straight razor, so keeping your initial expenditures to a minimum seems more practical.

3) With a product like DOVO, you're not going to get more for your money, strictly in terms of performance IMHO, as you get into more expensive options.

I hope this helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hayduke

Why is that? I can see the strop argument, but I don't understand it in regards to the razor.

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"Resist the urge to buy a fancy model. Experience has shown that almost any beginner will dull it while stropping, damage the edge when hitting a tap, or simply drop the razor." Shopping list for beginners - Straight Razor Place Wiki

There is a reason why we advise beginners to take a close look at the beginners' guide.

That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the difference between a 6/8 and a 5/8. They are similar in handling. Personally, I would go for the bigger blade, but it wouldn't really affect the shave. And the (admittedly less than breathtaking) scales on the Best Quality could be replaced with custom scales at a later stage.

Welcome aboard mate! When I first started I got a couple of Dovo's in 5/8 Best Quality and Blackstar. I wanted to do my own honing so I got couple pre-owned razors from classifieds. I use the Dovo as benchmark for honing.

Check the classifieds. There's bound to be $30-$40 razor there in good condition that should suffice and give you ample time to decide whether SR shaving is for you. Compared to ebay, you've the piece of mind you are less likely to get screwed over and add to that the razor is generally shave ready. The members are trusted and have established themselves in the community. You can't beat that mate.

My suggestion is don't go overboard with regards to razors. I can't tell you what size to use because contours of your face is different from mine, I will tell you though that I've a 6/8 and it's little tricky for me to maneuver with on my face. This is subjective everyone's different. I can shave with any razor or Japanese with ease but anything in the 6/8 or larger is quite a feat.

With strops I went with 3" Latigo. Generally it is preferred among new straight razor ( SR ) users. You needn't worry about the X-stroke like you would on 2 or 2.5 strop.

My mistake was I didn't get a practice strop along with the Latigo. I simulated stropping/honing with butterknife over newspaper or book. Nevertheless, the experience of stropping on practice is better. Ruprazor sells practice strop. Check him out. Best of luck

Can I assume the Razor will be shave ready?

yes you can and should.

Thanks! I'm very excited.