Thread: Brand new straight shaver here in South Carolina

Welcome! Glad to have you. Thank you for your service.

I totally agree on the Whipped Dog starter kit. You'll probably damage the strop pretty heavily, why not do it on a less expensive one.

Welcome to the forum.


I am glad to see you are starting to use straight razors while you are still a young man (well, at least young compared to me). I did not get started until I retired. You will have so many more years to enjoy collecting razors, hones, soaps, etc.

Welcome aboard, and welcome to life's joys and responsibilities. You will likely find great joy in SR shaving. My first two SRs were Gold Dollar 208s. Admittedly they are not Dovos, Thiers Issards, or Wackers. But they can make for good teaching, practicing instruments. I am an advocate of the Gold Dollars, if one understands their limitations. They will likely become your instrument of choice to learn honing, and that's okay. Not to mention once honed well the GDs can give a good shave too. (Certainly heads will explode with that one).

its not that you cant get a shave off of a GD, I can get a shave from a butter knife if I try hard enough, the fact that remains is that if you have to fix the geometry, have to deal with other issues such as scales or the steel, then it comes down to WHY? cost? not an issue, many vintage out there for the same money. is it style? no they aren't that attractive.

the main reason most wont recommend them is that a new guy needs all the stars to be aligned from the git go, to aid in the learning curve. its that simple, so why not start with a good blade that needs no alterations and comes ready to shave, Period. good luck with your razor,, but it sure seems like all the GD guys use other razors. Tc

Welcome to SRP.