What model is best for me

Dear members,
I am from India and I would like to buy a straight razor..
My question are
1. Which company and model is best for me my budget is not high
2. where to buy (in India).

Thanks brother

You might be interested in the following thread I started several weeks ago about straight razor shaving in India...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...ors-india.html

A friend of mine travels to India on business, and will be checking for straight razors there. An Indian work friend is interested in straights, and when he goes in January will also be looking for straight razors.

A lot of people report straight razor shaves, and a lot of them, in India. But, when I track them down, they are using disposable blades. Even the shaves "on the street corner", when I find them on YouTube, they are using disposable blades.

Now, India has an emerging steel manufacturing base, and one that is a quality industry, from what I read. So, with 50% of all shaves in India being by straight razors, (which I've been told, but don't know it to be true), I would think straight razors for personal use would be, or will become a market.

Occasionally, I get on the Internet and research the same topic you are asking. I don't know the answers. But, am interested in the same question!

Thanks Larry, u r right in our country 80% Barbour's shop use disposable blades with razor handle. here we found some local made straight razor but the quality of steel is very poor. my grandpa used BISMARK straight razor.

HotHotPot... I mentioned an Indian work friend who is traveling back to India in January who is interested in straight razor shaving. Ankur by name. He has a friend there who is trying to find straight razors for him as well. If I get any info about sources of razors, I will let you know. Also, if you find a reputable source for razors in India, let me know so I can pass it on.

Out of interest, what is your budget? The purchase price of a vintage, low tier, but yet quite acceptably shaving straight razor might be $30-40. With postage, would that be within your range?

Welcome mate

Good luck on your quest.

Do take notice that you will need a strop too to keep the razor in working condition more than few shaves. The SRP wiki is a great information source, especially the beginner guides and "first shave" bit. Good soap and brush also helps and stypic is handy for nicks and cuts.

thank u so much larry my search is going on..if i find any result i will inform u. budget is ok. what about e-bay? r the people reliable? i found there a dovo @ $73.

Any body suggest about this razor :GERMAN STYLE STRAIGHT RAZOR - SMALL ABALONE-

Pic
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...garabalone.jpg

Did you read the Beginner Guide from the wiki? Here's a link if you didn't.
Read it, pretty please?

Kriegar is on the list of razor brands to avoid.

Dovo is considered a good brand, but ebay might not be the best place to buy one (seller might be ok, but the razor might not be shave-ready). See the explanation here

Here's a some detailed info on what you will need

If you want to buy a vintage blade, you can use the classifieds here. For a new ones, check the suggestions in the beginner guide and commercials around SRP. Straight Razor Designs, Classic shavings, Vintage Blades and many others sites advertise here

Please do read the beginner guide - I know that it can be a handful, but it will help you to choose good stuff and get you to your first shave sooner.

Thank u very much Ursus. i am reading the guide now. I have choose a DOVO STRAIGHT RAZOR -BLONDE 6/8 CARBON STEEL from ebay and the seller said the razor is shave-ready.

Pic:
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...ELLOW68CS1.jpg

tell me about the approx price

Well done. From what I've heard, that is quite popular entry level razor.

However, don't buy it just yet, wait till you're done reading the beginner's guide, particularly the bit about shave-readiness: it is important that you get a known good razor, since the postage is going sting a bit. You don't want to end up having to pay two way shipment again to sharpen it.

You can check the prices by visiting some of the sites I mentioned and see what the razor would cost bought from there. Do take in account that you will need at least a strop too.

U r right ursus. professionally honed razor is diffent thing. the said razor is factory shave-ready. not honed by professionals. what to do?

"Factory shave ready" is an oxymoron. Rarely is a razor straight from the manufacturer truly shave ready. Not that it may not happen, but your chances of being struck by lightning are better.

Thank you john..

I found a dovo used razor at ebay :
look and suggest plz.

Pic:
http://www.picscrazy.com/thumb/dovo.jpg
Regards

If I were you I'd go for a razor that you knew came shave ready. This is a site that I've had very good experience of, click the links on it too to give yourself more options. There are others, not least the classifieds here on this site.

I think you'd be ill-advised to get anything off eBay as you may not necessarily know what to look for in terms of faults or damage. Plus there are some dodgy dealers out there who just want to get something for their old junk.

I think if you go the cheapie route you might be lucky. But you also might end up spending your money on an expensive letter opener and just have set yourself $50 further away form the razor you actually want.

Far better to spend the money now, get something decent and know that its in good condition than to risk losing the money. You can get a DOVO Best Quality from the Invisible Edge for around £50 and it will last you a lifetime.

You might look at a Gold Dollar from ruprazor. If you get one from Ebay it will not be shave ready( not even sharp),but it might be a good way to get your second razor, as you will need two unless you hone your own. My choice with the Ebay razors would be the Gold Dollar #208 or #200. Your first one though should be checked out and honed for you so I would say try: RupRazor - Gold Dollar

Thank u all folks, @stbear u told that if I spend £50 for a Dovo razor but where i found the same in same price?? please help me as i am ready to spend the amount for a good razor. As i live in India i must import the razor for us or uk.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hothotpot

Thank u all folks, @stbear u told that if I spend $50 for a Dovo razor but where i found the same in same price?? please help me as i am ready to spend the amount for a good razor. As i live in India i must import the razor for us or uk.

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I think stubear meant that you can buy a dovo off the ebay for $50 and still have no useable razor. (And actually, he gave you the tip of buying £50 (english pounds) Dovo from The Invisible Edge, but this is incorrect. The cheapest costs £60.66(postage included) )

Forget the ebay for now. One of your choices is the gold dollar link stropper sent you. Also some other places for getting a kit is Straight Razor Designs (US), Classic Shaving(US), and The Invisible Edge (UK) (google the names). Check those sites out choosing a kit detailed by the beginner guide (razor, strop, brush, soap/cream and stypic). I know it costs more than from ebay, but you do want to order it all in one go to reduce your postage. Also, the quality of the soap/cream sold there is meant for shaving - though I costs more than a bar from local cornershop, get it while you are ordering.

Here's another thread for beginner shoplists written by beberlin. It's a good read with the beginner guide.

If your budget is tight, Buying a beginner's set on a budget - Straight Razor Place Wiki offers some good solutions. But in the end, it is your decision what you want to buy or not. But please do read the Beginners guide in order to understand why nobody in their right mind will encourage you to buy from an online auction site, based on one picture alone.