Thread: Advice for a total novice please...

Hi all, still can't believe ive found a forum dedicated to shaving! Brilliant!!
Right, the reason ive found myself here is to ask some questions that have probably been answered a million times before on here but please have patience as ive trawled this section with no conclusive answers.
my mrs is buying me my first straight razor for christmas (apparently a very good one from a german company, she's done her research!). Id like to get stuck in on christmas morning and am aware i need other kit too but not sure what exactly...a sharpening device called a strop? Some cream for the strop? Can i use normal Gilette type shaving foam? Do i need a foam brush? anything else im unaware of? Also, can i get these things cheap off ebay or should i go for a reputable brand?
Please bear in mind im a total novice to the straight bladed razor world but cant wait to master the art!!! Thanks in advance,
Dan.

A strop is a must...A nice brush to lather with its helpful..If you are going to start out here it's the minimum list.

Strop
Shaving soap or cream of choice..I don't like anything from a can anymore
Brush for sed cream or soap

That would be bare minimum..there is a ton of other stuff but baby steps first.

Enjoy

Welcome to SRP. Here is the SRP library. Check out the beginner's guide and browse around on specific topics from there. Also continue to ask questions as they come up. Glad to have you aboard.

+1 to aespo.
A 3" latigo strop w/ a nylon webbing or canvas second material is a must, you need to strop everytime before you shave. Usually 15-20 down and back "laps" on the mesh or canvas, then 30-50 "laps" on the leather is sufficient pre-shave. You will have to determine what works best for your blade, and that will come w/ practice and patience. Don't use the canned foam, it's too airy to use w/ a straight. Remember there are no lube strips, or gel junk or whatever on the blade to make up for the lack of protection from canned "crap" is we look at it here. A good glycerin or tallow based shave soap, a badger, horsehair, or boars hair brush will serve you well. Get a good moisturizing aftershave balm from one of the websites linked in the site. Proraso alcohol free aftershave balm and cream will do you well. You will want the balm b/c your first few shaves will leave your face a bit irritated from lack of technique and your face is not used to having a blade so close to the skin and needs time to adjust to it, so just be prepared so no surprises there. You can usually find the strop, razors, brush, and soap, even a mug sometimes in a bundle kit from a lot of the retailers. You should have your wife check the "razors to avoid" section here...just type it in in the search box above. If she has looked at one of these, then it would be wise to pass over them, b/c at some point one or more members here have tried them and found them to be inadequate for holding a sharp edge, and some that wouldn't even cut hair at all. Take the time now to watch videos on youtube and here from guys like: gssixgun, undream22, lynnabrams, spazola on shaving, honing, stropping, even how to lather w/ the brush and cream or soaps. Then ask as many questions here as you can; that's what we are all here to do is learn and teach for the best experience possible.

Welcome!
+1 to JimmyHAD's reference to the library. Other than the basics, bring your patience, your mouse-hand and your reading goggles and get ready to have some fun. Yeah, I know, it's just shaving.
While you may or may not get bit by the bug that has afflicted most on this forum, at the very least you probably will not look at shaving as a brainless chore any longer.
And btw, what a very lovely wife you have. If you go down the path of many here, just remember to remind her that she helped get you into it :-).

Enjoy!

thanks all! So i think i'll get a standard brush and cream from Tesco (Englands equivalent to Walmart). I've seen some Dovo strops for sale on Ebay with the yellow cream and believe they're a good make. Dont want to scrimp on a strop incase a cheap one damages the razor...
The rest is youtube!! Cant wait!

Originally Posted by danshayler

thanks all! So i think i'll get a standard brush and cream from Tesco (Englands equivalent to Walmart). I've seen some Dovo strops for sale on Ebay with the yellow cream and believe they're a good make. Dont want to scrimp on a strop incase a cheap one damages the razor...
The rest is youtube!! Cant wait!

Remember if you get a 2" or 2 1/2" you need to learn to strop w/ an x stroke, so if you go that route be sure to find videos where they explain it well.

go cheap on the strop you will nick it to death wippped dog .com has beginner strops for cheap get yourself a good cream geo f. trumper, acca kappa,castle forbes creams to name a few, and if its the german maker i'm thinking of dovo it wont come shave ready you'll need to get it professionally honed.

Ditto on whipped dog.com for "stuff" to start with. He has everything you need and is good to deal with. He can make you a nice silvertip brush inexpensive that rivals 150 dollar brushes. Get an inexpensive strop or go to a local leather craft store and buy a chunk of tanned cowhide leather 3 inches wide by 24 inches long, jury rig a loop through one end and hang it from a door knob. Thats your learnin strop. And yes you can use your canned shaving cream if you don't want to toss it out. A local drugstore will probably have some proraso cream, it comes in a tube like toothpaste. Its inexpensive and is a really good authentic shave cream.

Originally Posted by eleblu05

go cheap on the strop you will nick it to death wippped dog .com has beginner strops for cheap

+1 on the whippeddog strop. You'll nick it to pieces learning to strop. Whippeddog strops are cheap but of high quality. It may well be the only one you'll ever need.