Thread: Help with what to buy!

For a razor, I'd also recommend a good vintage razor from the classifieds. Sham puts a really nice edge on his blades.

I'd recommend starting with a boar brush. I don't like pure badger because it's scratchy on the face, so I don't like cheap badger brushes. Boar still has the scrubby feel of low grade badger, but it can be much cheaper and isn't prickly. Semogue brushes from vintagescent.com are a great option in my opinion.
If you really want a super soft tipped badger brush, get a 2 band finest brush from here: Shaving Brushes : Fountain Pen - Antique Pen - Vintage Pen - Fountain Pen Ink - Penworks AZ
There are some cheap ones and for the price, the 2 band finest is the best knot out of the many I've tried.
Message here: Unless you like prickliness, don't buy some low grade badger brush that'll make you want to buy other brushes, because it's too annoying on the face.

For a strop, start with something cheap and then get a nice one later. A filly strop from ruprazor is often recommended (haven't tried it myself). The SRD strops that I've tried have been a nice option, so you could step up to those later.

For a soap, get something that's easy to lather like Speick brand shaving soap or cream. There are a bunch of other cheap and great ones:

Proraso
CarrieM's creams (PM CarrieM here to buy the cream)
Kiss My Face available at many stores (e.g. Whole Foods)

You could come in anywhere between 75-200 dollars with these. 75 if you get an OK razor and 200 if you get a really nice one (that'd be much nicer to look at than that Dovo IMO).

Originally Posted by heirkb

I'd recommend starting with a boar brush. I don't like pure badger because it's scratchy on the face, so I don't like cheap badger brushes. Boar still has the scrubby feel of low grade badger, but it can be much cheaper and isn't prickly.

That is good to hear. When I initially bought my brush I didn't realize it was a boar brush. I was a bit concerned.

Originally Posted by jeffy

I just started myself and spent a total of $74.

$40 razor of the classifieds.
$22 for a strop (filly) RupRazor
$12 for a brush & cream

(according to tracking I'll have everything today)

Good Work! Take your time. Let us know how it works out.

--Shoki

Soaps were mentioned recently, and a bad soap can frustrate you and make you hate shaving. I only recently discovered Cella in the red bowl for $10, and have found it the easiest soap/creme to work with since starting with straights.

You can not go wrong with Straight Razor Designs good products and a shave ready razor honed by lynn himself what more could you want.

+1 to anyone who recommended a Dovo from StraightRrazorDesigns. My first, and so far only, shaver is a Dovo Best Quality I got from there. It's holding up great, and now I love shaving instead of seeing it as a dreadful chore. If you haven't already made a purchase, I would suggest doing some digging around on eBay for items too. I got my strop there (someone found it at an estate sale), and so far I have had a good experience with it. You'll definitely nick your first strop, so don't spend too much on it or get the fanciest, highest grade thing out there. As far as soap, I recommend Proraso Menthol/Eucalyptus Shave Soap (which can also be found on StraightRrazorDesigns by doing a search). I have sensitive skin that gets irritated very easily too, and this stuff provides a really nice cooling sensation as I go about my shave. It also can make up some thick, creamy lather after a little practice. I had it down by about my third shave. Whatever you decide though, I hope you enjoy your straight edge shaving experience. I know I'll never look back!

+1 to anyone who recommended a Dovo from StraightRrazorDesigns. My first, and so far only, shaver is a Dovo Best Quality I got from there. It'll come with a screamin' sharp edge that holds up great through all the newbie mistakes. If you haven't already made a purchase, I would suggest doing some digging around on eBay for items too. I got my strop there (someone found it at an estate sale), and so far I have had a good experience with it. You'll definitely nick your first strop, so don't spend too much on it or get the fanciest, highest grade thing out there. As far as soap, I recommend Proraso Menthol/Eucalyptus Shave Soap (which can also be found on StraightRrazorDesigns by doing a search). I have sensitive skin that gets irritated very easily too, and this stuff provides a really nice cooling sensation as I go about my shave. It also can make up some thick, creamy lather after a little practice. I had it down by about my third shave. Whatever you decide though, I hope you enjoy your straight edge shaving experience. I know I'll never look back!

Originally Posted by mellman

Hey all...new here.
...snip...
I have very sensitive skin, and using my Gilette Fusion 5 blade setup...constantly have red bumps and irritation on my neck after shaving...so much so that i'll often skip shaving to lessen the irritation.

.....snip....

I've got a budget of ~ $100-200 total. I don't have a problem buying a more expensive razor if it's going to give me an obvious benefit, but as a beginner i need to make sure it's a hobby i can stick with so I don't want to invest too much just yet.
...snip....!

Fusion 5 and bumps.....

My diagnosis is to upgrade your "lathering" and
switch to any of the single edged razor solutions.

This is the budget path....
For lathering get a good brush and good soap or cream
and learn to use them.... More on that later.

For shaving... bumps are most often caused by the
multi blade mass marketed blad guys. Multiple
blades can shave closer but bumps tell me that
you are shaving too close.

You are on a tight budget... so first things first.
A good lather is the first and least expensive thing
to address. Start with the $12 VDH shave kit.
Van Der Hagen Premium Shave Set. This will
get you a brush, shave soap and lathering bowl.
Hunt a shave cream like Proraso ($9) and Williams ($1.50)
shave soap. I have found that Proraso+Williams can be mixed to
good effect. The boar brush is as basic as they get
you will someday want and buy a fine badger brush
but never toss your original boar brush except to
replace it when it wears out in a couple years.

Next set your Fusion 5 on the back of the shelf and
pick up some inexpensive yellow handle BiC single
edge blades for sensitive skin. My local grocer has
a dozen for about $5.

This and a jar of Nivea shave balm may be all you need to
upgrade your shave and calm the red bumps.

This is my budget path.... other paths apply.
It taught me lathering and the value of a single edge sharp blade
that can be a BiC tossable, a good DE or a Fine straight razor +strop.

More than anything this gives you time to shop. Since +80%
of a good shave is lathering and lathering is a small part
of the expense this budget path works for many.


Speaking of shopping -- the holidays are almost at hand
Cella in the red jar seems like a stocking stuffer. Proraso
in the green jar is a fine seasonal color to join it under the
tree and is legal for the teen agers (I want Scotch Whiskey
myself).

You cant go wrong with the DOVO Best Quality set from SRD IMO, thats a really great set and you know that the razor will be coming to you shave ready as well!

If you are still wondering what to buy:
Read this thread.