Welcome aboard.

I went for the brush (entry badger from TOBS) and soap (Jermyn Street Collection from TOBS) and used that with my cartridge for a month or two to get better at the prep side before getting the straight (which I have now). Meant I could focus more on learning the straight as the prep would be 2nd nature.

Trying to decide myself if I should up my brush to a silvertip next or new straight.

And yes, it's very addictive :-)