Thread: Hello everyone, I am a newbie willing to do the right thing!

Originally Posted by Chelomiami

Hello everyone!
I am a newbie into straight razor shaving and been collecting a lot of information on the internet before getting started. As you can imagine there’s a lot of good information out there but opinions are like butts, we all have one, so I found SRP and I’m very glad I did.
I haven’t got any supplies yet although I’ve been tempted to buy some staff online to give it a try. For what I have learned so far I think best razors are made in Germany and France? I heard about Dovo and Thiers-Issard as one of the best brands out there? There’s also different sizes like 5/8 and 6/8, the smaller one being the more maneuverable?

Please help me make a good and educated decision on how to start. I really want to fall in love with this idea and don’t want to ruin it for not having the right tools.
What do I need to keep it sharp and what brand/model should I get and where?

Thank you in advance.

Hello and welcome to the group. First, make sure you take advantage of the resources on the main page that will help you get started. But to answer some of your questions, yes Germany and France make some very good razors. In current production you'll want to focus on Dovo, Revisor, Boker, Thiers Issard, Ralf Aust, or Wacker. But you might not want to limit your options to new razors as there is an entire world of vintage razors that are every bit as good or better than currently produced razors. To further answer your questions, many countries of origin produced great vintage razors - American, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, British to name a few. Your budget will need to dictate what you choose. My personal preference is for 6/8 or 7/8 razor. I would suggest the 6/8. Its nicely middle ground if you find you prefer larger or smaller blades and you will find them a little easier to strop as they have more surface area to keep flat on the strop. I'm sure you're already aware that you'll be in need of at least one razor. It'll need to be shave ready. You'll need a strop, a brush, and some good soap/cream. There's a lot of choices but the most important is a shave ready razor. Don't assume that a new razor is in shave ready condition. Its rare. Some guys insist on a new razor and others are open to a vintage. If you go the new route, my personal preference is for Revisor. Obtaining one requires a little more effort in that you will need to email them via their website and inquire about the razor in question. They then send you an email with an invoice to be paid via paypal. About a week later a beautiful new razor arrives at your door. But you will likely need then to send it out to be honed. If all of that sounds too much, your best bet is to buy one that's already said to be in shave ready condition. SRD is a good place to browse as its one stop shopping for all of your needs. But if you choose the vintage route, buy from a reputable seller. Our classified area here is very good and there's always something new being put up for sale. Stay away from eBay until you understand what you're buying. And reading is good. So do a lot of reading.