I'm looking to buy my first straight razor. I've been reading information on the Wiki, but still would appreciate some help.

I phoned a few antique shops today and found a number of them had razors. A lot of the stores I'm not sure what brands they are, so I'll have to go and take a look. One store told me that he had a number called Solingen. I read the article "Good Straight Razor Brands", which said that razors actually forged in Solingen were good blades. How would I know this? Some of the other brands he had were Bower and Sons, another Stevens or Stevenson, one with Hamburg on it.

As someone suggested I'll be trying for a 6/8 half hollow. Is there any way to tell the grind of the razor?

There are a number of razors I can get for $25 to $50 and higher. Can I expect something good for a starter for this? I would appreciate any advice in things to think about when purchasing a razor?

Thanks