Originally Posted by
carpedm
As you can tell from this site, there are as many options as there are people! Based on what you say it sounds like you will really enjoy a straight razor shave. Patience is the best quality in this pursuit! First, ask yourself where you think you would like to be. Do you want one or two really nice new razors that you can send off for touch-ups or do you think you may end up going into restoration? Are you a New type of guy or do you like the vintage razors?
If you want to stay cheap, Whippeddog.com seems to be one good choice. You can get a starter kit and try it out for a reasonable cost.
Based on your comments, I might suggest jumping ahead. Any one of the banners you see on the site is a good site for a new set-up. I have personal experience with Straight Razor Designs and would recommend them highly! Some of the other sites may have some more vintage selections.
The NUMBER 1 most important thing is to get a properly honed razor to begin with. The options above will fill that! You can also send a razor you find to many folks for sharpening (In the classified people will list their services)
Know that some sellers many not really give you a shave-ready razor. It seems straights from Art of Shaving can be a little hit or miss. (The razors are set at the factory. Any razor straight out of the factory probably needs a little attention to perform its best!)
Look at several of the Shave of the day pictures and see what draws you in!