I've been browsing this site for several weeks, and I have read through the beginners guide and the wiki and just about everything I can find, now its time to take the plunge.

So what is the bare minimum to get started with a straight razor. I've got a reasonably thin beard, and I've got a goatee, so I don't shave my chin.

Obviously I will need:

a razor (I am leaning towards the DOVO Best Quality, but open to suggestions) and

a strop (i have no idea what strop to get, and I could really use some advice on that).


I am on a pretty tight budget (stretching it just to get a decent razor and strop) so can I get away with using the shaving cream canister I use with my disposable right now or would that be missing the whole point?

If you've got any advice on a good, cheap (but more importantly quality) razor and strop I'd love to hear it.

If you think I should not bother wasting my time until I can buy a good badger brush, shaving soaps, and after shaves I'd like to hear that too.

If you started shaving on a budget, and now can't believe that you lived without something (or wonder why you wasted your money on something else), I'd love to hear that as well.

Thanks for helping me jump into the world of proper shaving.