Thread: Beginner looking for cheapest usable SR

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I am only looking for a razor now and have read the razor section of both of those, but they don't say what company makes a good razor or where to buy them other than the classifieds here. I can't afford the ones in the classifieds and don't know where else to look if cheap ones on ebay are no good. All the websites I find are really expensive and I have no idea what would be good if I did find cheap ones in my price range.

So do you think these ebay razors would be junk compared the the Gold Dollar razor?

http://cgi.ebay.com/STRAIGHT-RAZOR-SHAVING-REMOVAL-BARBER-QUALITY-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ270518704292QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item3efc2bd8a4

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Red-Straight-Razor-Carbon-Steel_W0QQitemZ160381945821QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item25578247dd

Does anyone know of anything else that would be as good or better than the Gold Dollar for around the same price?

Frankly, there isn't much that can be done with a $20 budget. What first comes to mind is those "disposable straights", which are essentially a straight-like holder a DE-blade. No, they're not quite like straights, but can provide quite excellent shaves. You can get those around $20 mark I think. Some people have started with those. Many firms make those, for example Dovo, Fromm, Moniseur Charles, Sanguine. I use the latter myself. I think check amazon and ebay for these and buy a packet of proper blades, or a blade sampler.

I haven't seen any real straights at classifieds at $20, $40 perhaps.

To put in bluntly, anything else at the budget is generosity or amazing stroke of luck: Ask your family if they have any straights lying around and get it honed. Just to put things in perspective, pro honer can charge about $20+postage for his/her services. You'll still need to a strop still, but it's possible to improvise these. Or sign up to the SRP giveaway and hope you get lucky.

Sorry. In all probability, those Ebay-razors are textbook examples why newbies should stay away from ebay.

Do understand that you need to get the gold dollar honed to shave-ready state if it isn't already

Good luck on your hunt.

I know you want to jump with 2 feet in....trust me...I know, due to unforsean sercumstances I was forced to wait until my situation worked it self out before I was able to purchase any equipment.

I am glad i did, saved me money, I did research on what would be good for me and not just good for a beginner. I read how to shave witha str8, use a strop and read how to hone. I am now waiting on a package to be delivered with everything I need to set myself started out correctly with with a solid set of starting gear.

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I have never used a straight razor and don't know if I will continue to in the future, but I wan't to give it a try.

I see you have never used a str8 razor before, have you ever had a str8 shave before?

If not I would start there, for less than $20 you can get a shave from a barber...you will then know how it feels with out shelling out money for equipment for something you may not want.


-Jeremy

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

Thanks for the quick replies.

I'm going to do some reading on the Gold Dollar razor since it seems there's lots of talk about it here.

I just checked the classifieds here and there isn't anything in my price range.

$60 is more than I wan't to spend. I'm just looking for something to experiment with. I really don't even wan't to spend $20, but I will if that is the cheapest I can get a somewhat decent razor for
........
Does anyone know of anything else that would be as good or better than the Gold Dollar for around the same price?

You will be hard put to find a str8 in you budget as you have presented it.

My last $9.99 razor required lots of trips to my set of hones and multiple
packs of wet dry paper and is still a work in progress. The sum of all the
repair bits would take you over budget.

A straight does require a strop, shave brush, shave soap and a friend
with a hone.

What do you shave with now?

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I'm on a very tight budget and wan't to spend as little as possible. This is just going to be my first razor and I don't wan't to have to worry about messing it up sharpening it.

I just wan't it to hold an edge and be usable.

Unfortunately I don't think this exists in your budget. You cannot get steel of good enough quality to hold shaving sharp edge for most people and pay for somebody's time to put that edge on it all for a couple of dollars.

Have you tried shaving with your "shaving sharp" knives? I'd give it a try, may be you'll discover a $1 walmart knife can be sharpened to a level that you enjoy shaving with, in which case perhaps those ebay razors you liked to would actually work for you, despite failing for just about anybody else here.

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I have never used a straight razor and don't know if I will continue to in the future, but I wan't to give it a try. I like knives and enjoy sharpening them. I actually thought of getting a straight razor because I want to learn to sharpen it. I have brought some kitchen and pocket knives to a mirror finish that are shaving sharp.

I might actually like shaving with it and decide to continue, so instead of buying a $3 SR off ebay, I figured I would ask here to find some recommendations on the cheapest SR that I will be able to use and will hold an edge.

I don't know anything about the size of the blade or types of grinds yet. I was just hoping someone could recommend something that I could start with for now and i'll get into all that later. I have skimmed over the begginer guides stickied here and I will read them completely before attempting to use the SR.

I'm on a very tight budget and wan't to spend as little as possible. This is just going to be my first razor and I don't wan't to have to worry about messing it up sharpening it.

I just wan't it to hold an edge and be usable. It doesn't have to be new. An old SR would probably be better if they are higher quality, but in my price range. A used SR being sold here on the forums would be fine as long as it doesn't need any more work than honing since I only have 15, 5, and 0.3 micron lapping paper from 3M to work with.

Thanks for any help.

OK I think the guys are reading into your post what is not really there...

They think you are a beginner shaver, and you are not.... correct???

You want to mess with an edge and might not ever even shave the razor.. which puts you out of what everyone here is trying to help you with...

Just understand that what you are attempting to do is out of the norm which is why everyone is trying to steer you down the "right" path to shaving nirvana...

If you just want a blade to practice sharpening with just about any Vintage razor off e-bay will do, I would recommend one made in the USA and a hollow grind this will serve you purpose well...

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I have never used a straight razor and don't know if I will continue to in the future, but I wan't to give it a try.
......
I only have 15, 5, and 0.3 micron lapping paper from 3M to work with.

Thanks for any help.

15, 5, and 0.3 micron lapping paper on a flat is
a good thing. You may never need the 15.

Alltracturbo,

IMHO twenty bucks is an impossibly tight budget for a str8 razor that can meet all of your requirements.

As suggested in several previous posts, read the SRP wiki very closely before buying any str8 razor. Don't be penny-wise and pound foolish. Remember that cost is only one of several considerations when buying a str8 razor. Consider the quality of the steel that the blade is made of and its ability to acquire and hold an edge. That will determine your true ability to shave with it. Anything less is a waste of money.

Just my 2 cents...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

OK I think the guys are reading into your post what is not really there...

They think you are a beginner shaver, and you are not.... correct???

You want to mess with an edge and might not ever even shave the razor.. which puts you out of what everyone here is trying to help you with...

Just understand that what you are attempting to do is out of the norm which is why everyone is trying to steer you down the "right" path to shaving nirvana...

If you just want a blade to practice sharpening with just about any Vintage razor off e-bay will do, I would recommend one made in the USA and a hollow grind this will serve you purpose well...

Yes, this is pretty much correct. I don't need the razor to be shave ready because I wan't to sharpen it myself. That is the main reason I wan't the razor. I'll definetly try to shave with it when I get a good edge on it to see how I did sharpening it, but that doesn't mean I will enjoy it and continue in the future.

When I said I am looking for a usable razor, I didn't mean that as being shave ready. I was talking mostly about the type of steel. I am looking for something that after I put an edge on it would stay sharp through the entire shave and not lose it's edge.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

15, 5, and 0.3 micron lapping paper on a flat is
a good thing. You may never need the 15.

I think it will work very good. It is the PSA backed lapping paper form 3M. I cut each sheet into 4 equal pieces and stick them to 1/4" pieces of glass that I cut to size. Each one is 8 1/2 x 2 3/4 inch with rubber feet. Here's a picture I just took:

Originally Posted by gugi

Unfortunately I don't think this exists in your budget. You cannot get steel of good enough quality to hold shaving sharp edge for most people and pay for somebody's time to put that edge on it all for a couple of dollars.

Have you tried shaving with your "shaving sharp" knives? I'd give it a try, may be you'll discover a $1 walmart knife can be sharpened to a level that you enjoy shaving with, in which case perhaps those ebay razors you liked to would actually work for you, despite failing for just about anybody else here.

I don't wan't to pay someone to put the edge on it.

I have shaved the hair off my arm very easily with a couple knives I have sharpened. The sharpest is a 7" chef's style kitchen knife from Zwilling JA Henckels. I actually attempted to shave my face with this once just to see if it would work, but gave up before even getting any hair off when I realized that is was very hard to do with a knife this large and shaped the way it is. Plus I wasn't to interested in loosing any skin from my face.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

A straight does require a strop, shave brush, shave soap and a friend
with a hone.

What do you shave with now?

Really need a shave brush? I have access to one, but don't use it.

What about shave soap? Wouldn't regular shaving cream or even bar soap work? I use both now with a regular Mach 3 turbo razor. I'm 23 and have been using the mach 3 for about 5 years.

Originally Posted by JeremyP

I see you have never used a str8 razor before, have you ever had a str8 shave before?

If not I would start there, for less than $20 you can get a shave from a barber...you will then know how it feels with out shelling out money for equipment for something you may not want.

Never had a SR shave before, but considering I don't wan't to spend over $20 on the razor, I don't think i'm going to give someone even $10 for a single shave.

I don't think i'm going to be buying any other equipment right now, just the razor. If I don't enjoy shaving with the SR, I won't consider is a loss because I mostly wan't it to sharpen. It will then be just another gadget I own or a tool.

Originally Posted by ursus

Frankly, there isn't much that can be done with a $20 budget. What first comes to mind is those "disposable straights", which are essentially a straight-like holder a DE-blade.

There is one of those in my shed being used as a general razor. I could always just replace the blade if I wan't to shave with it, but again I wan't something I can sharpen. Plus, that type of razor seems kind of cheesy to me. I like the idea of having a real, solid, one piece razor. The ones with replaceable inserts makes me think of a cheap disposable razor. Thats fine if you just wan't something to shave with.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

You have been shown this link by ursus. Have you read it? If not, why not?

Yes, I read it. I would rather buy the razor for $20 and maybe get a strop later. I don't need (or want) him to hone it for me.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Next, define "experiment".

Experiment with sharpening it and experiment with using it. I might not wan't to take the extra time to use it or just might not like it in general. I don't wan't to spend any more money than I have to on something I might ruin or just never use.

ok you probably should get a strop (it wont be werry comftable without)

brush+shave soap or cream is an abselute must(canned foam just dont work well)

Actually I have a little Genco sitting right here on my desk with no scales...
I use it to open boxes, so it is dull as hell, let me throw on some scales tomorrow and you can have it...

If you decide to not take up straight shaving give it to somebody if there is anything left of it after yer done playing ...... She is small and not pretty but the edge is solid and no spine wear to deal with...

Send me a pm if ya want it...