I just purchased a leather strop and the wooden handled dovo from tony.
Right now I have proraso shaving cream and shaving soap. I ordered a tweezerman badger hair brush. A cheap 17 inch leather / linen strop to learn with, a http://premiumknives.com/ShopSite/Co...Stone_110.html which I have been waiting on, and have no idea how effective it is. I purchased these before I found this forum, but I figured if I order some basic items and learn the techniques and methods with them now, then when I begin to use the high quality items in the future I'll be prepared. I have a Pakistani razor.... lol just kidding, I noticed everyone loathes those things. I am using a dovo straight razor that I am borrowing from my grandpa. I told him I'd return it to him in a couple months when I get my next break from college, even though he says to keep it (he has a bunch of old straight razors that he doesn't use). I am eagerly waiting for that waterstone so I can learn to hone the razor. I thought the razor was really sharp, but it doesn't pass the HHT and has 2 small knicks on the blade that I discovered by running the blade across my thumbnail.