Thread: What else I may need?

Having a styptic pencil is advisable when you're starting with a straight - larger branches of Boots do them for under £2, and one will last you a long time. (If you haven't already got one.)

I'd consider getting a vintage strop from ebay. I paid around £15 for mine, and it had a few stains and nicks, but is made of the right materials and works well. Bear in mind that you're likely to slice up your first strop until you get the hang of stropping, so even if you eventually want to spend a lot on a top-of-the-range one, it isn't a good idea for your first strop.

Razor, strop, brush, soap, styptic. I'd say that is the minimum starting kit.