Almost a Newbie

I have one of those beards that shaves like shaving a wire brush, and frankly I just can't afford to pay Gillette nearly $7.00 for a blade that I get just a few shaves from. So, I invited my cousin over for Thanksgiving dinner [HeHe!]. I knew that she was making shaving soap and asked her to bring a sample. Colleen was very helpful, and a good salesperson, she sold me a shaving brush! No actually I told her to bring me one. She instructed me how to use the brush and turned me on to this site.
Well, I now have some soap and a brush! Now I need a Mug (as if I need another one), a razor and strop. I am bidding on a mug on e-bay, and have looked at a few strait razors and strops, but could use some advice.
Can anyone tell me if they are familiar with a Kriegar Stell razor? Is it a good quality? Can anyone recommend a certain brand?
Another question and I will quit for now. What kind of strop is best?
Colleen probibally could have answered most of these questions, but then I would'nt have had anything to talk about here!

Thanks,
Sandman

Welcome aboard. Colleen is a highly valued member here and I'm glad her family is joining in on the fun. The razor you're looking at is made of inferior steel that wouldn't take a proper shaving edge. Your best bet would be to get one of Tony Miller's starter kits that includes a pre-honed razor, a pasted paddle strop (for touching up the edge every 10 shaves or so) and a hanging strop (to align the edge before shaving). If you also want to learn how to hone a blade from scratch, a Norton 4k/8k combination waterstone is the best IME, combined with using the pasted paddle strop to finish the edge. Then get a decent vintage razor off e-bay (they can be found for under $10 if you have a bit of patience), read the help files, check out the honing forum and start honing away.

Welcome, this place jsut seems to get bigger and bigger, Good luck with all your honing,shaving and fun really, i am also new to all this and everyone here has been very helpfull and friendly.

Sandman,

Welcome to the forum. I also recommend Tony's
strops www.thewellshavedgentleman.com

For a razor you may also checkout the User Gallery
scroll down to Lynns. Checkout what he has.

As for brands... Genco,Morley,Boker,Dovo etc.
Also check out www.billysblades.com and
http://shop.writerferret.com/ for more
vintage razors. Both are kinda sold down
but should be getting more up sometimes
soon.

Hope this helps a little......


Terry

Thanks for the help, I will probibally need more!

Then you've come to the right place. We've got:
1) Amazingly written/illustrated help files
2) Great discussions on honing
3) Most importantly the most helpful bunch of guys on the planet.
This place helped me learn a great deal about razors.

Yeah i agree, this place is amazing i have learnt everything i know about straights here, which i know is not that much but it is more than nothing, getting really addictive keep looking at new items on ebay