Thread: Opinion on "starter set"

Does anyone have an opinion on the Solingen straight razor and Bismark strop that is being offered at the following link: Excalibur Three Piece Straight Razor Starter Set -

I noticed that the razor is a Solingen (that's good right?) and that the strop is 2 1/2" wide (not so good --- isn't 3" better for a beginner?). P.S. this would be my first straight razor. Any advice or suggestion would be much appreciated.

Those items would be fine, but I'd recommend getting the razor professionally honed. Factory edges are often less than stellar

Strop width is just preference. I like 3" but others prefer 2.5"

Edit: I don't know why I thought that razor was a dovo.

It doesn't say it's a Dovo and the picture doesn't indicate where it's made. You need to inquire about that first. Often times with "kits" the main item is decent enough and then they skimp on the other stuff. You need to do more research here.

Hi Peter - welcome to SRP!

+1 to what KenWeir said regarding the strop width. It is essentially a personal preference thing. A 2 1/2" strop will work just as well as a 3" strop. You just have to do mnore of an X stroke on it. Lots of info on that here on the site.

I know *nothing* about Giardo razors and so would recommend seriously considering the Dovo for $10 more if at all possible. Also, no matter which one you choose, you will have to have it honed to be shave-ready. That's not too pricey and there are lots of SRP members who offer pro honing services here:

Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Good luck!

Thanks for the prompt response. If you scroll down on the page it says: "Solingen Synthetic Handled Straight Razor
Solingen Straight Razor with black synthetic handle, carbon steel, hollow ground blade. Blade measures 3" (7.5cm) and handle 5.5" (14cm)" From that can one assume that it's made in Solingen?

Originally Posted by Peter57

Thanks for the prompt response. If you scroll down on the page it says: "Solingen Synthetic Handled Straight Razor
Solingen Straight Razor with black synthetic handle, carbon steel, hollow ground blade. Blade measures 3" (7.5cm) and handle 5.5" (14cm)" From that can one assume that it's made in Solingen?

Don't get too caught up on Solingen - some manufacturers are better than others and ultimately it is the maker and not the location that makes the razor. That is why I suggested considering the Dovo as that is a recognized quality brand.

Good tips above re whippeddog and straight razor designs. Another advantage with both of those is that the razors will be shave-ready and you won't have to send it out for honing.

Originally Posted by Peter57

Thanks for the prompt response. If you scroll down on the page it says: "Solingen Synthetic Handled Straight Razor
Solingen Straight Razor with black synthetic handle, carbon steel, hollow ground blade. Blade measures 3" (7.5cm) and handle 5.5" (14cm)" From that can one assume that it's made in Solingen?

If you look at the razor's webpage itself (not the full kit), the page picture shows on the razor tang that it is made in Germany. There's your manufacture location.

However, don't be fooled by what the page indicates: "hand honed in Germany". That is most likely a factory edge, as KenWeir mentioned, and does not make the razor truly shave-ready. Professional honing is still required for best results.

Be careful, I fell victim to buying a "starter set" and wound up throwing away the razor, strop, and only kept the brush (looking to replace it very soon). It almost turned me off of straight razor shaving because it was not shave ready as advertised and was extremely painful. I am so glad to have found this site and been able to talk to some more experienced men and Lynn himself. I finally broke down and made the investment on a new razor. I am so happy I did, because now I have found a new hobby and shaving is no longer a chore.

Starter sets in most hobbies are a mistake because they are generally overpriced for what they are.

The answer doesn't have to be to spend more money. It's usually just a matter of not buying what is in the starter set.

It's usually true in hindsight that when buying a lot of cheaper products you could have just bought something nicer from the start but that's not usually helpful advice. Why?

Because you don't know what you'll eventual want from the start and if you buy "the best" it still may not be what you want and you'll only be spending more money.

You can buy several "vintage" razors inexpensively and even though if you buy enough of them they can end up being as much as one expensive razor you'll be able to try out more to find out just exactly what your personal preferences are.

If you read through this forum you'll learn enough to be able to find decent inexpensive older razors. It's just a blade and scales. Really, finding something that can't be made to work is probably the exception rather than the rule.

Most razors work.