Thread: Hello All!

Hello all,

I’m new to this forum and to the world of straight shaving. It’s been a few months now and I love it. I know this thing of ours can get quite expensive so advice and supplies at a cost friendly price would be very much appreciated.

Straight shaving feels like gentlemanly thing do, and it feels like I have joined the Stone Cutters or something J .

welcome!!!...

Welcome, you will find lots of great advice here. One of the better suggestions I read was to buy two used, old, honed razors from members of this site. Use one and keep the other aside until the first seems, to you, not to work so well. Then, get it rehoned and go to your standby razor. You can find excellent razors here. Good luck, and above all, buy Lynn's DVD. Great info in it. Have fun.

Welcome to SRP Let the AD begin..lol

Hello, Warren:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place.

Yes, the straight razor world can become expensive if you let it, especially in the beginning. Remember the essentials: one straight razor, one strop, one brush, one soap (or cream), one alum block and one styptic pencil (I consider these last two items as essentials, although some might disagree with me). Anything else is a luxury.

Whether you buy your razor new or restored, beware of hype and stay within your financial means. Do you need an expensive and hyped up Filarmonica or a Wade and Butcher or a Thiers-Issard or a Dubl Duck as the first or second razor? They are great razor, yes, but there is plenty of time for them.

For starters, I suggest a good utility razor, something like a Dovo Pearlex or a Boker King Cutter. If you have the funds for a Le Grelot with acrylic or plastic scales (fancy scales spike the tab considerably), you will not regret it. That's a great meat and potato razor and a fabulous shaver. You also have a choice of a razor from the Straight Razor Place Classifieds.

A pure badger or boar brush, about 22 mm., will work just fine. For soap, you have a big choice. Start with Mitchell's Wool Fat or Tabac. For Cream, a tub of Taylor of Old Bond Street, or a tube of Proraso will do just fine.

For strop, try an Illinois No. 127 or No. 827. They are not fancy; rather, good meat and potato strops that barbers used for many years. I have both of these and am quite fond of them.

Make sure your straight razor is professionally honed. Wait on your own honing until you have learned the ways of the straight razor, especially since honing is a skill onto itself.

There is plenty of time for everything. Work methodically. Learn methodically. Throw the clock away and take your time as you embrace wet shaving with the straight razor.

In the meantime, read as much as you can, and view any video you find on any aspect of this art form.

And ask all the questions you need. Straight Razor Place has a cast of experts on many elements of the straight razor world. They will be delighted to help you out.

We're delighted you have joined us.

Regards,

Obie

wow! what a response and welcome.... never got this kind of luv from my motorcyle forums or VW formums.

I have the essentials... i might get alot of slack for this but got me a GD200 razor i did enough research and found it's not bad for the price...theres a whole thread here on them... time to step it up a little with a better blade and strop...hopefully i find a great vintage here in the classifieds, just taking my time.

sounds dumb...for cream the more water the better...since im new it takes a while for me to shave and the cream keeps drying out on me...soap is not bad but i like the feel and glide of the cream.

thanx all

Originally Posted by BanjoTom

Welcome, you will find lots of great advice here. One of the better suggestions I read was to buy two used, old, honed razors from members of this site. Use one and keep the other aside until the first seems, to you, not to work so well. Then, get it rehoned and go to your standby razor. You can find excellent razors here. Good luck, and above all, buy Lynn's DVD. Great info in it. Have fun.

Thanks....found my second razor... a vintage Griffon Carbo Magnetic which I found a local dealer...payed $60cdn for it and i did research on this site about this razor apperantly it will provide me a very good shave.