I haven't been straight shaving very long, but I have realized that I enjoy hunting in antique stores for the older razors. I recommend doing lots of reading from the Wiki, and in the Workshop area of SRP. There is lots of info on how to restore, replace, buff, etc.
For my first little project, I looked for something that was not too far gone. That way, I had some sense of what it was going to take to hand sand a blade and buff the razor/scales. Since I live in a condo downtown T.O., my tools and space need to stay under control. I can afford a dremel, but I can't afford a bend grinder that needs a new house to live in!
I'd recommend to start small, and work safely.
Cheers,
Maxi