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Hello from Midwest, USA: a non-AD Japanese knife enthusiast ready for straight razors
Intro
I'm in my mid-twenties and am currently living in Lincoln, Nebraska, but I'm from near Los Angeles, California. I've been planning to switch to a straight razor for 2 years, and my electric shaver finally died (after a meager 3 years of service). I can't say how excited I am to make the switch.
When it comes to the tools i use, I put a lot of value on craftsmanship, longevity, and joy of use—which led me to Japanese knives... and now, the straight razor. It's hard to be proud of and enjoying using a throwaway tool that was machine-manufactured in some soulless factory and requires no skill to use.
I'm also a minimalist—which is why I only have a single knife in my kitchen: a 240mm gyuto. I want to live by the same principle with straight razor shaving. I've already made the first step by purchasing a Puma 83 (photo at bottom) from another SRP member*, which I believe is a quality razor that can last a lifetime. But unfortunately, I haven't yet shaved with it... I still need a strop.
Request for Advice
Since beginners are very likely to cut up their first strop, I'm thinking of starting with either the Illinois 827 or Illinois 127, which are recommended in the guide for buying a beginner's set on a budget. I'd be eager to hear which one you think is more forgiving to a beginner or more suitable to my razor (page 29 of this old Puma booklet recommends using a strop made of Russian leather, which the Illinois 127 is allegedly made of). Or, if you think I should be considering other strops, then I'd like to know which other ones I should consider.
Anyway, I'm glad to be here and I look forward to learning about straight razor shaving and passing on what I learn.
*Badgister, whom I highly recommend
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