Thread: Need some help picking my first straight razor!

Hi, just some ideas...
But if you read the articles in the Library, and search the forum for your main points, you'll find a HUGE amount of answers here.

(1) Learn to sharpen yourself
(2) You strop before each and every shave. I do 30 canvas, 70 leather before the shave and 10/10 after. Stropping is important and you need to take time to learn it properly. You can damage your razor if you strop poorly. You should hone when your razor is dull. Your razor will possibly dull sooner when you are new to SR shaving due to poor stropping technique at first.
(3) Possibly within about 8 - 10 weeks. This depends on your hair thickness, frequency of shaving, stropping technique, etc. Norton 4/8 PLUS lapping plate.
(4) Not sure. I have only had one strop, a Dovo. I'm sure most strops would work OK.
(5) Lots of possibilities, but all you really need is a razor, strop and hone (and brush and cream of course). After that, I would recommend a second razor as the next purchase. Switch between the two and try to make each as sharp as the other each time you sharpen, or leave one for just one day a week.