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My husband wants to start shaving with a straight razor so I would like to get him a set up for Christmas. I am on a budget so I would like to go as inexpensive as possible for now and upgrade slowly. I still want to get him something nice though. I have no idea what to get him from razor down to shaving creams (he likes art of shaving but its really pricey) Please tell me what to buy! Thank you.
I would hit the classifieds section of this forum and see what is available. Email or Private Message any vendor there and ask plenty of questions.
Basic set up includes the following, razor, strop, brush and of course shaving soap.
Please feel free to participate and ask all the questions you wish, we have a great community hear and everyone is willing to help! Kelly
Its hard to explain I guess. With womens beauty products you can spend less and still get quality items. I am looking for specific product recommendations to build him a starter kit. I want him to be able to get a good and comfortable shave but I want to be able to do it as inexpensively as possible (for now I plan on getting him better things as time goes on)
G'Day and welcome.
What a wonderful wife you are (mine buys shoes and handbags :shrug:).
You'll get as many opinions on what to buy as there are members here 'cause it is such a personal thing.
If I were in your position (which I will never be....hehehehe), I would look in the classifieds here and message some of the vendors to see what they would recommend.
IME they are all pretty good to deal with.
I, personally, would recommend starting out with a razor around 5/8 - 6/8 with a half hollow grind.
You could also try whippeddog.com as he has some great deals and good advice, from what I have heard.
I hope this has helped.
personally i prefer to know exactly what im getting but its hard to beat the whipped dogs price of sight unseen understand a razor and strop last a lifetime and then another so its really up to you the dovo is the same razor i started with a great middle razor and well recommended by many as a good starter if you know that this is the route your hubby will take in shaving go straightrazordesigns but some stop shaving this way after several months sight unseen will save you money if this is the case its really what your wallet will take.Quote:
Originally Posted by shoppingforhim
does he shave with a DE razor that would be where i would recommend to really start 9it helps teach you a light hand and is a good back up for those quick morning rush out the door shaves)
YES YES YES I'm so glad i bought that DVD lynn goes over everything (he's the all knowing dude of razors and knowing)Quote:
Originally Posted by shoppingforhim
This is how clueless I am...What's a DE razor?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluerain
This is how clueless I am...What's a DE razor?[/QUOTE]
watch mantic59 shaving channel on youtube sorry not good with links no computer skills here
but its the razor that replaced the straight edge way back when Double Edge Razor before the cartage era we have now
far cheeper to start 30 bucks for razor, little upkeep, forgiving for noobs
classicshaving.com merkur classic
however he might not care for this no-strop needed, very different breeds these 2 razors
agan recommended for those leaving the cartridge razors behind
however if i were you or you were my wife id prefer the starter kit and forget the DE razor for now.the kit on straightrazordesigns is a beautiful one ,lots for the money. seriously if he opens that on christmas he will be overjoyed its got everything after all id still would buy a DE razor as a back up one day later, again for speed....or many its because i love my merkur barber pole(blue) so much, but i guess if he noticed the straight razor first start there
P.S. tell us what he thinks on christmas give us an update and make him a member new faces are good and good looking
watch mantic59 shaving channel on youtube sorry not good with links no computer skills hereQuote:
Originally Posted by Bluerain
but its the razor that replaced the straight edge way back when Double Edge Razor before the cartage era we have now
far cheeper to start 30 bucks for razor, little upkeep, forgiving for noobs
classicshaving.com merkur classic
however he might not care for this no-strop needed, very different lifestyles these 2 razors
agan recommended for those leaving the cartridge razors behind[/QUOTE]
Ok thanks for the info. I will watch the video when he goes back to work tomorrow (dont want to give away the surprise).
Agreed...you get brand new everything at a reasonable price...and most importantly its guaranteed shave ready so as to give hubby a great start into this wonderful world of ours without any hassle of is it sharp enough or is this the proper stuff :)Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
And might I add...youre a damn fine woman! lol
The absolute most important thing for you, is to buy a truly shave ready razor for your lucky husband. Some online vendors advertise their razors as shave ready, but they are factory honed. There is a difference. Buy one from someone who has honed the razor, and stay away from eBay. As far as the strop, don't go crazy here. He will most likely nick and cut his first strop, so keep that in mind when shopping. The poor mans strop from whippeddog comes to mind here. The mug can be anything. My personal favorite was picked up from a thrift shop for 50 cents. A cheap brush can be purchased from Target for around 10 bucks. I would however suggest a good shave soap from the start. Mitchels Wool Fat, Edwin Jagger, Proraso, and many others are available online, look for a scent that you like! Even if he decides that straight razor shaving isn't his cup of tea, the soap, brush, and mug can be used with any razor.
And, as mentioned, get him on this site when he gets started. This is the most beginner friendly website ever. Everyone here is kind and helpful, and willing to help a newbie get started. We also have a ladies section here, should you ever decide to give wet shaving a shot (straight razor or DE). I can tell you from personal experience that my wife loves a straight razor shave. She hasn't built up the confidence to try it on her own yet, but she loves when I shave her.
I may be too late, but I'll wade in anyway.
THEY may be telling you what THEY would like. If my wife went and got me a new Dovo I'd slap her (just joking, but I would\ be disappointed).
We need to know more about your husband's tastes. Does he like shiny new things, or vintage worn things with history? If he bought furniture or even audio equipment, would it be new or second hand or vintage? Does he like old cars or new ones? I think that makes a HUGE difference, at least for me. New and handmade I like, but not factory stuff. My brother is the opposite, if it's got a teeny weeny tiny scratch or some rub marks it's out the door.
Hi friend, I am fairly new to the straight shaving thing, so I thought I'd tell you what I have, and what I really like. I too was on a bit of a budget, but only to keep my wife happy. I did start with a DE, and I was happy I did. I have a Merkur Progress DE, that I still use on occasion. It's a great razor. As far as my straight, I started with a Dovo Best Quality 6/8 and a 3" Black Latigo Strop, both from Straight Razor Designs. The razor comes "shave ready" which is very important. I did tons of reading here on this site and learned tons. I am really happy with my purchases, and will have these items for a long time.
As far as a good brush goes, check out The Golden Nib site. I bought their Super Silver Tip Badger Knot in 24mm for about $33, and a resign handle for $22. I slapped it together with some 5 minute epoxy, and I have a great brush that I'd hold up against any $200 job. Plus you get to add a touch of your own handy work to his gift...he will be totally impressed! And besides, a 5 year old could put together that brush.
If you have any questions feel free to send me a message, you know, from one newb to another!
P.S. Yes, get the CD!:beer2:
I would go with the start up kit from Straight Razor Designs. You get everything to start your journey into the world of straight razor shaving. If he enjoys it as much as the rest of us it won't be the only razor, strop, soap, mug,or brush he will come to own. If you do order it I would get a scented soap upgrade instead of the unscented. My favorite is the vanilla bourbon. A bottle of Clubman original aftershave might be nice too. He will be so excited about his gift.
Awww thank you :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrentshaving
I will definitely tell him about this site after I give him his razor. You guys have been very helpful.Quote:
Originally Posted by robellison01
I think to him quality is the most important thing of all. He is not in to vintage per se, just quality. I wish I had the funds to get him something super nice right off the bat but its not feasible right now. He does have sensitive skin when he shaves if that makes a difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
Thank you very much for your adviceQuote:
Originally Posted by RNMike
Hi i have also just started out using stright razor and I brought one of the starter kits from dovo contains all you need and the set I got cost me £123 and believe this was a good buy would also recommend your husband start reading the ufo contained on this forum as it will help him as it has helped me