Thread: Buying from "The Art of Shaving" retail store... good or bad idea?

Originally Posted by Logistics

Hmmm...

If I had to take a guess you were shopping at the Park Meadows location. I have gone in there and purchased soaps and have offered honing service to the Cherry Creek location. If you decide to get a razor from SRD you will be pleased, to say the least. If you purchase one from AoS at either Cherry Creek or Park Meadows give me a shout (PM) and I'll hone it up for ya at no charge.

That is a generous offer. I live in Parker so I usually go to the lone tree one, I think that is park meadows. I just moved here a couple months ago from Cape Cod so not super familiar with the area. I will definitely take you up on your offer though should I go with AoS. I would love a hands on demonstration of honing!

Originally Posted by Doclariv

That is a generous offer. I live in Parker so I usually go to the lone tree one, I think that is park meadows. I just moved here a couple months ago from Cape Cod so not super familiar with the area. I will definitely take you up on your offer though should I go with AoS. I would love a hands on demonstration of honing!

No worries. Any time you want to get together for honing, stropping or just want some good old advice give me shout. Parker is not too terribly far from me and the Lone Tree location is most likely Park Meadows which is about a 15 minute drive for me. A few of us are thinking of a mini meet at some point but nothing is set-in-stone yet. Good time, great information, great place to score free honing and great people. You will never regret it.

Also, since you are new to the area if you have any question don't hesitate to ask.

The straight razors from The Art of Shaving are made by Thiers Issard and Dovo. The manufacturer is stamped on the tang. They are all good razors; however, you can purchase a Dovo Bismark for less from SRD, and as you know, it will be shave ready. Kinda hard for AOS to beat. Also, the strop from AOS is a Dovo Russian leather strop, which is a very good strop, but, IMO, you can get a larger and just as good if not better quality strop from SRD. Also, take a look at the Illinios strops from Amazon. They are good strops and the prices are excellent. The Illinios 827 strop is a good choice.

Originally Posted by IamSt8ght

The straight razors from The Art of Shaving are made by Thiers Issard and Dovo. The manufacturer is stamped on the tang. They are all good razors; however, you can purchase a Dovo Bismark for less from SRD, and as you know, it will be shave ready. Kinda hard for AOS to beat. Also, the strop from AOS is a Dovo Russian leather strop, which is a very good strop, but, IMO, you can get a larger and just as good if not better quality strop from SRD. Also, take a look at the Illinios strops from Amazon. They are good strops and the prices are excellent. The Illinios 827 strop is a good choice.

See this is good info and makes price comparison much easier. AoS is a bit pricier it seems. It seems more and more like I am going to get it from SRD. I am fairly patient so I think I can survive the sipping wait. I think it says they offer free express shipping with a 250+ dollar order. I really wanted that Siberian mammoth ivory razor from Dovo but they are out of stock.

Ok this really helped put some finalization on my decision making process. Normally I decide things a little faster(still probably slow), but I am not buying a washing machine or something. This is a razor blade that I will be running across my face.

Looks like the Bismark from DOVO... anyone know if the upgrade to wool felt on my first strop will be worth it?

Yeah, not sure who told you to stay away from Latigo? Latigo leather is just cowhide, and makes a great stropping material. NeilMiller and Mountain Mike both make and use for their personal strops, Latigo. Some places sell cheap leather from fatty parts of the cow, which causes stretch marks, scarring, and wrinkles and call it Latigo b/c it's from cow hide, but a good latigo strop, from the more muscular parts of the hides like SRD sells, will serve you well for years, provided you don't hack it up.

I guess the big choice left, where I have not put a lot of thought, is a brush.

Well, badger is the most popular, then you have the grades. Firmest-softest: pure, black, best, super, silver-tip. Then there is boars whiskers: very stiff and scratchy, works great on hard soaps and really tough beards, horse-hair, less coarse than boar, but stiffer than badger: losts of people like them, I like em' myself. Synthetics: eh...just don't compare to naturals, unless you are just opposed to animal hair or vegan, or whatever.

Target sells an $11 pure badger brush in a brown box w/ a blue label and white writing. I took it washed it w/ aveda shampoo, put conditioner on it (remember it's hair after all), let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rinsed really really well. I had that brush about 2 years of constant use, and it was a great brush. Heck I am going to buy another. Nothing uber fancy, but for less than $13 tax and all you can't beat it.

Originally Posted by tiddle

Well, badger is the most popular, then you have the grades. Firmest-softest: pure, black, best, super, silver-tip. Then there is boars whiskers: very stiff and scratchy, works great on hard soaps and really tough beards, horse-hair, less coarse than boar, but stiffer than badger: losts of people like them, I like em' myself. Synthetics: eh...just don't compare to naturals, unless you are just opposed to animal hair or vegan, or whatever.

I am pro-bacon, and I do not mind using animal hair or by-products whatsoever.

So looking at brushes, what prices would you expect me to pay for a solid badger, and for a starting point I understand its probably subjective, but is there a higher quality that comes along with firm/soft? will i need a new brush, say, 5 years from now?

I ask because I am seeing 300 dollar brushes, and that must be a lifetime warranty purchase I am assuming.

Originally Posted by tiddle

Target sells an $11 pure badger brush in a brown box w/ a blue label and white writing. I took it washed it w/ aveda shampoo, put conditioner on it (remember it's hair after all), let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rinsed really really well. I had that brush about 2 years of constant use, and it was a great brush. Heck I am going to buy another. Nothing uber fancy, but for less than $13 tax and all you can't beat it.

Time to go to Target it would seem.
Here is my shopping list do far:

1. Straight Razor Designs Lynn Abrams Modular Paddle
2. Professionally Sharpened Dovo Black Ebony Bismarck 6/8"
3. SRD 100% Pure Essential Oil Shaving Soaps 12 Wonderful Choices(sandalwood)
4. Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Aftershave Lotion 100ml
5. Col. Ichabod Conk Shaving Mug

Ill pick the brush up at the super target nearby (I used to use a brush from the PX to apply protective oil to firearms, tried it for shaving and it was garbage at 99 cents)

Am I missing anything?