I'm not being sarcastic. Whatever straight, strop, hone and plate you get will work. You don't have to experiment with them. Get a new good brand and trust me it'll work.

You could use shaving cream out of a can and a straight. Like I said I've used a dove bar in my hands to build lather and it works. Heck, ones I finished shaving in a rush, brushed my teeth, dryed my skin, saw I missed a few hairs and shaved them off dry. You buy the expensive stuff and they will make your shaves better, but you don't need them.

If you choose to buy expensive soaps, brushes, creams, lotions..... they'll make your shave better, but they'll just as well make your disposable shaving expereince better. You see its not a straight razor shaving cost. The cost to straight razor shave is one of each, straight, strop, hone, and plate. You make that money back within a few years compared to constantly buying disposables and then your shaving for free. Everything else you would have spent regardless.