Hello All! Shaving rookie here looking for advice. Please help

I don't think I'm supposed to buy a razor for looks, but I'm really hung up on aethetics. Is is possible to buy a good looking razor, decent quality (useable, at least) for a reasonable price ($50)?

I had a shave done at a barber shop a few months back, and I cannot get that feeling out of my head. It was breathtaking, and especially compared to a mach 3 shave (don't hate me). I "upgraded" to a Schick Hydro razor, which I know would make most on here grimmace in agony. I have decided that, if I can afford it, I'd like to try straight razor shaving. The wife hates my beard, but she doesn't want me to spend a fortune on a razor she thinks I won't use more than once "because I'll probably cut my face off". Can I get something nice looking (like a pearl handle, vintage looking razor), shave ready, for the price I listed? Or am I dreaming. I read the DNB list, and it includes all the ones I was looking at on Ebay. Then I found this place. If someone has advice, or a razor to sell that meets my description, please let me know. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Aesthetics is important, we are driven by our eyes...

It's also a motivator, who wants to shave or for that matter do anything with ugly tools? You could probably get away with it for 50 buckeroonies, but upping the limit will help, I think. Maybe a hundred? Generally, when I look around the 'net it seems that's about the price of razors I'd like to buy (or more). I generally wouldn't pay more than 150-180 unless it was a really cool razor. Having said that, you can get really good razors for a LOT less if you look around antique shops, etc. However, I reckon you want a shave ready razor.

I hope you have a good time with all this, it'll bite you and not let go, actually, sounds like it's already bitten.

Carl;

I went with a set from whippeddog dot com for 85 dollars including silvertip badgers hair brush and poor mans strop kit. I'll post pics when it arrives n maybe that can help u to judge

I ponied up quite a bit more on the chance (pretty GOOD chance, actually) that I would enjoy this. Same story - barber shop shave and it was amazing, and SWMBO thinks I'm "going to cut my face off". Well, she's coming around to it, after a couple of weeks, so now I'm into sample/scent testing and getting her to pick what she likes, which involves her (that's kind of important) and makes it more fun for her. I got a Dovo Ebony Stainless in a strop set from SRD for about four times what you're talking about spending. Still, I could probably get a good bit of that back if I decided I hated it and unloaded it all on ebay. Then again, the extra commitment makes for an extra commitment, right? I figure I can take my time, however much it takes to get right, and sooner or later I'll have something that A LOT of men don't have.

There are vendors on this site and other places that do offer used starter razors at a decent price and you can bet they will be shave ready. You might be able to find one to your liking there instead of doing the ebay crap shoot. How long as a beginner you can keep them that way is another matter. I dulled mine fairly quickly when I started out. Just saying be aware that there are other costs such as maintaining your razor shave ready. Can't help you with how your wife feels, mine grew up watching her grandfather and father shave with straights so she did not bat an eye when I started.

Bob