Thread: Economics

I just got home, my razor has no name on it? I guess that's bad huh? It was made in china and it's stainless steal, should I buy a new one?

If I'm more than likely going to like straight razor shaving, I might as well just buy a hone and sell it if things go ary?

If you're uncertain, you can go without the hone to start....then, if you don't like it, sell off the rest - and you are not out the hone.

I say this because - you can get a razor pre-sharpened by a pro here. Then shave with it several times - you'll know soon enough if all of this is for you or not. If not, then you didn't waste money on the hone.

(That is to say, while the hone may be 'min necessary' it is not an IMMEDIATELY necessary......)

Just one approach?
It's a worry though - I can understand it! "What if I spend this money and I decide against it?" Ughhh...

...one way is to wait on the Hone. Put the toes in the water first?

The cheapest way I know to get started is with:

www.whippeddog.com

"Shave-ready" razors are around $35, a "poor man's strop kit" (which includes a pasted strop) is $19.

Razors in the "Classifieds" on this website are often in the $30 - $40 range.

You can maintain a razor almost indefinitely (once it's sharp) with a barber hone, about $20.

Once you start "experimenting", of course, all financial projections are meaningless. . . . <g>

A good new stainless-steel razor from Dovo or Boker or TI costs about $150. What did you pay for yours?

Charles

Bummer about the no- name razor. From what I have read they are only good for scrap metal or practice honoring. But if the spine isn't straight, a common problem with cheap razors, practicing on it could be more frustrating than beneficial as a positive learning experience.

Impatience unfortunately catches most of us in the beginning. My first strop was a nameless POS. That actually dulled my first professionally honed razor. If I had read more first I would have bought a starter razor here, a much cheaper but equally effective brush, a better strop fore the same amount of money, etc ....

To make a long story short plan on loosing a few bucks to experimentation if you're not good a taking advice, or good at editing the mountain of advice out there.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Knife

I just got home, my razor has no name on it? I guess that's bad huh? It was made in china and it's stainless steal, should I buy a new one?

If I'm more than likely going to like straight razor shaving, I might as well just buy a hone and sell it if things go ary?

I have plenty of stuff that's been made in China that isn't horrible but I wouldn't dare touch a razor made in China to my face.
Carbon steel is going to be your friend.
As others have said, whippeddog is a good deal. If you get in to it or just want to get quality stuff to start with I highly recommend the strops from Straight Razor Designs. If you nick one up the leathers are replaceable.

My wife was made in China, and she's pretty awesome!

Hey Knife read my post on why here http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...o-shaving.html

It's not the best writing in the world but it'll give you an idea of my "start."

This is just my opinion but i believe you can start off with one of everything but you really should have two of, well most things.

* You will nick your strop
so you will decide to get a second and use your nicked on for diamond spray and pastes (if you didn't nick it bad)

* you will round your blade.
So you will want a second blade while you send off to get you razor honed. 'or' you will try to hone it yourself and realize its not something that you learn over night and you will use your second blade untill you get you rounded blade right.

* your brush will wear out.
but you can get a brush on eBay for $10 - a lot of the guys use them

I use an old 'small' desert bowl lol, that cost me nothing and works great! and most people wouldn't realize that's what is it.

If 'i' was starting out again from scratch i would be getting the following in one go. (this is just me)

* 2 x 6/8 Dovo razor worth between $80-100.
* 3" premium strop from SRD with a spare felt for diamond spray.
* The eBay $10 badger brush (frank or phoenix)
* Soap from my local "crabtree & Evelyn" shop
* 4/8k hone
* diamond spray 0.5 micron
* And my desert bowel lol (it works good!)

I think that's it and that is about $350 for 'My' setup. but can get it down much cheaper then that and you don't necessarily need two razors or the hone. i would properly still get the diamond spray and the second felt for my strop if i only had one razor.

But that is just me, most of the other guys on here are much more experienced so listen to what they have to say as they do have good advice (and a little OCD).

I hope you decide to join us as you will enjoy yourself. And you find you don't like it after starting you will get most of you money back on the Dovo razors on eBay and even a fair bit for your strop if it hasn't been nicked.

Best advice I can give, is read. read. read. and then read again. Buy a decent started set like the one from SRD or get one from whippeddog, and buy a second shave ready razor from the classifieds. I learned the hard way. I made every new guy mistake and then some. Spent more money on bad products than needed. then I found SRP and things got a lot better. Now when I think back on it, it's kinda funny. But you can do it for $200 or less all told. I got a buddy started for around 95.

Originally Posted by bondpunk

or get one from whippeddog, and buy a second shave ready razor from the classifieds.

Agreed, you can always rely on the classifieds for a cheap razor!