Thread: Shopping list help!

Hello to everybody at SRP, i am brand new to this forum and to straight razors, Last night i went to the Haridressers/barbers and i remember talking about Sideburns my Barber informed me that a straight razor is the only way to get a straight side burn/shave, Anyway after that i thought nothing more about it untill i watched reservoir dogs earlier today and saw a straight razor take of an ear .
Anyway i am looking to start of using a straight razor and i am getting quite confused, i would like a nice looking razor also one that will ast me a long time (for Life?) i love the look of Dovo of Solingen Straight Razor - Genuine Buffalo Horn, but there sounds like 100 other things i need to buy also i am guessing i need to send it off to someone in the UK (Near Herts/Essex) to get it sharpened or something any ideas? What do i need to buy for the first month or so?

Welcome aboard. I'll give you the basics but I suggest you read the help files and go through the forums before making any decisions.
1) A good razor (DOVO razors would make a fine choice) honed by a honemeister (it wouldn't significantly raise your price to send it to Lynn or Joe and it would be more than worth the expense)
2) A hanging strop to align the edge
3) Honing equipment (generally a 4k/8k combination hone like Norton 4k/8k grit waterstone and a finishing hone (coticule) or a pasted paddle strop.)
4) A shaving brush and soap/cream

Check out the forums and do your research on each of these items. Good luck and enjoy.

I've got some razors...can't help you on the strop/stone though.
Lynn(Adjustme) is also selling some razors as does Joe Chandler and Urleebird (Bill)

When you get one of those at least you'll already know they're shave ready.

btw
Garythepenman also has a few nice ones for sale for a good price.

Just to note - if you buy a razor shave ready (and I highly recommend that you do) then you won't need your own honing equipment for quite a while (how long depends on a number of factors including how tough your beard is). Even if you do need a touchup, you can use a pasted strop, which has a much lower learning curve, or a barber's hone, which is much less expensive then a Noton.

Also, buying a shave ready razor means that when you shave the first few times, you'll learn what "sharp" feels like, which is something you need to know when you start honing your own, if you decide to do so.

ok thank you very much i have taken some of the points into consideration,
i have had a look round and i am starting off from scratch (no pun intended) and this seems like it will take a little while to get, which means that in a months time i still feel like i want to give it a go i will do.

- Dovo Of Solingen straight razor - £150 ish
- Honed By Lynn, Honemeister, Joe if possible - ??
- Rooney Silvertip Medium - £58
- Geo F trumper Shaving Soap - £14.50
- Edwin Jagger Cup - £20.00
- Sollingen Small leather strop paste - £50

Comes to fair bit but i am willing to wait for a while, untill i have done a lot more reasearch.

Where abouts would i send a razor to get honed by one of the above, becuase i am in the uk and do not fancy sending it to america if avoidable.

That's quite an investment to start with.

Can I suggest you email or pm Tony Miller for most of your consummables and maintenance stuff and contact Bill Ellis (Urleebird) or Lynn Abrams (Adjustme69) for a decent razor.
You will enjoy a vintage restored razor better than a modern equivalent (IMHO) and it will be shave ready and last you your lifetime. It will be hell of a lot less than 150 quid.

Gary

I forget how expensive things are in the UK. Wow...that's a big initial investment.

When I started I bought a kit from Tony Miller, and I've been nothing but pleased with it. Have a look at them, and if you have questions he'll be happy to help you out: http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...2&categoryId=5

You'll no doubt pay a bit more for shipping, but the exchange rate alone will save you a bundle, and you'll be getting great products.

Those prices are amazing. If you pay that sort of money you are certainly paying too much.

Apart from Tony for strops you can also check out Joe Chandler, he has restored razors as well and is adding all the time so pm him as well. Both gents offer great value.

Gary

I'll also recommend Tony Miller. You can always spend more money later. He currently has a great deal where you have absolutely everything you will need to for a while for $170. It is the same set that I just bought and, though I have no experience with any other straight equipment, I am very pleased with it.

Oh and Tony is about the most honest gentleman you will find. I bought my set just prior to his current deal and he gave me the better price anyway even though I didn't complain about it. Also he refunded me some money because his website overcharged me in shipping. All in all I saved $20, even though Tony needn't have refunded me anything.

Thank you very much for all your advice this is probably the only forum that actully reply with 6months of posting, apart from a Reptile Forum that no longer exists. Anyway i have had another look around and to start off with i shall buy the razor and then stick the rest of the items i may need on a very strange but long Xmas list
i know there are hundreds of posts about this but is it worth spending $$$ on a carbon steel blade or is that only worth it for Pro's, i am not to bothered about the cash if it takes me 2months to get what i need then so be it, but i would rather do it properley than have to change my blades after a couple of months or year.
Last question is that i have seen somewhere on here something about a test to see how sharp the blade is but can not find it anywhere. Rich
Oh oh one more (promise) i have seen some pictures of people on here and they look alot older than me i am only 23 but of course been shaving for a while just wonderd if my skin would be to sensitive or thin or soomething (stopping to dig a giant hole whilst sounding like a Year 7 at secondary school)