Hello all,
My name is James and I am an alcoho.. I mean... a daily shaver.
My job demands that I shave daily, and I used to hate the routine of it. About 3 years ago my other boss (wife) got tired of my daily whining and got me a Christmas gift of a Merkur double edge safety razor, hard milled soap (Taylor of Old Bond Street), preshave, aftershave, and a silvertip badger brush. Since then shaving has been my Zen routine every morning. The old electric unit, cartridge shaving utensil and canned foam haven't been touched since.
Now, with the natural progression of things, I want to start using a straight razor. I don't yet have a blade, strop, or an idea of where to start. Budget is a concern. I do not have any friends or family (that I know of) who use a straight razor to mentor or teach me.
Can this be started for under $100? I am very mechanically oriented and the prospect of honing does not bother me. I have a lot of experience with stones and polishing/honing from custom gunsmithing, though my stones are not adequate for this style of work because of size, grit and shape.
Thanks all,
ChuMP