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$100 Straight Razor Kit

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
$100 is a tough budget to meet.

A lot depends on whether you can get a decently performing shave ready razor for a good price or not. You could go with a GD 208 or P-81, maybe, or an American mass produced vintage, or maybe the cheapest model from Titan. Figure no more than $40 for the razor, honed. Then you need a strop. An Illinois for under $40 will do ya. Or make one for about $25. So there's $65 to $80. I really can't in good faith recommend less than a 24mm Silvertip, or maybe Pure or Best grade Badger brush, about $40, so that's already $120. Larry at www.whippeddog.com can fix you up there for $35 and you get a rather more reliable seller than a Chinese brush on fleabay, and a shorter wait for shipping, if you are in the US. A stick of Arko is what... about $3 or so? Very basic soap but lathers pretty good. Now if the razor vendor honed it to a Method edge, you can maintain on just .1µ diamond paste ($10) on 3" x 12" x 1/4" balsa set on a glass or stone plate that is in turn glued to a 1" or so thick piece of wood, call it another $10, so you are all in for about $140. I really can't see compromising further, while giving the newbie a reasonable chance of successful shaves early on, and an enjoyable shaving and maintenance experience.

The honing alone is worth $20 to $30 so a cheaper razor would pretty much be an act of kindness on the part of the seller. A cheaper brush can be had, but I can't see a bigger compromise in value if you want a decent size brush that holds a lot of water and product. I couldn't recommend a synthetic, a boar, or a Black Badger. The Black Badger holds a lot of lather, but it is as prickly as a brand new boar and unlike boar, the Black Badger won't soften up very much with time. A budget of $150 is much more realistic. A $200 budget would be pretty easy for a complete kit. $100 budget makes everything too price driven at too great a cost in enjoyment. JMHO.

Dropping down to a shavette such as a shameless Feather AC styled cheapie off AliExpress, and a pack of Feather DE blades to feed it, would get you under $100 pretty easy. Such razors are usually to be had for well under $20 and give a pretty good shave with a Feather Hi-Stainless blade. Same brush and soap, no honing or stropping gear.
 
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