Thread: Noob's first post!

Originally Posted by BSDaemon

Just wondering... what advantage does vintage have over something more recent?

I just think the old razors had better steel, better heat treating, were better ground, and were more interesting (there were lots of different styles back then, as opposed to what Dovo and TI are doing today). They were made when a majority of shavers used them, and market forces dictated greater variety. Additionally, with the old ones, there's a better chance it's a good one, as the crap would've been ditched long ago. Now obviously, the above wouldn't apply to something modern that has been custom made, like Maestro Livi's or Bill's.

This sticky thread in newbies corner will help you understand the differences between a razor that is truely shave ready and one that is not: http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=7563

Ah, very interesting stuff!

So, do you guys have any suggestions as far as razor + strop for a newbie? I don't want to spend a lot, because shaving with a straight razor may simply not be for me. ..

I'm looking for a combo that's around $100 or less, if possible. Any suggestions?

joe chandler sells some nice old razors which he has taken the time to restore and hone to feircely sharp. his prices are very nice for new people starting out and i'd suggest starting there as you will get something of good use which will come in great shape along with already honed perfectly so you don't have to worry about those aspects. http://shop.writerferret.com/ he only has 4 razors on his site at the moment, which is quite low for him, perhaps he's selling faster then he can restore....congrats joe. but you will find majority in the 35$-50$ price range. other people on here sell razors as well, and theirs are of quality also. however you will find they specialize in higher end razors which cost more then you may be willing to spend. that is why i listed joe's site as a good place to start. its very beginner / intermediate friendly.

as for a strop, definitely peruse Tony's shop as he's top notch along with all his goods / workmanship / customer service. http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/

and yes, the upfront, start up cost of straight shaving is a bit more then people expect or sometimes would like. but really thats all the cost there is. you will buy more soaps / hones etc etc down the road out of pure pleasure but you will be set from the get go if you wanna keep it minimalistic. take the extra week or 2 or 3 it takes to save some cash and buy some quality products to start which will give yourself a chance to enjoy the shave. you won't be perfect at it to start, your shaves will be not smooth and missing spots when you first start. but they will improve daily and the end result will be more pleasing and much closer then anything else you have used. its worth the adventure for sure.

~J

ah yes, I was looking at thewellshavedgentleman.com earlier today. His starter kits are pretty fairly priced! $135 for razor, strop, brush, mug and soap!

Do you guys prefer hanging strops or paddle strops? I suppose I'll do a search and see if there are any threads on this forum that address that question.

For me, a hanging strop is much more comfortable for daily use, but I do have a couple of paddle strops for tony for pastes and travel.

X

reading his site, he says he reccomends the paddle strop to start with, since then you dont need to buy a hone, etc. I think I may heed that advice.

Are his razors as good as his strops? or should i buy a strop from him and a razor elsewhere? I'm sure if he hones his razors before they get sold, they will be awesome!

Originally Posted by BSDaemon

reading his site, he says he reccomends the paddle strop to start with, since then you dont need to buy a hone, etc. I think I may heed that advice.

Are his razors as good as his strops? or should i buy a strop from him and a razor elsewhere? I'm sure if he hones his razors before they get sold, they will be awesome!

As for my honing, it's all been passed off to our own EL at this point and he has been doing a great job. Mine were okay with an occasional "not quite sharp enough" but not a question or doubt on an EL honed razor yet. I think he is using Belgian Coticules for his honing and has been doing this a long time.

Tony

Ah, thanks for the info!

Perhaps next pay I will be purchasing a set from you