What's new

straight razor for a beginer

D

dscm94

Hello everyone, I´ll introduce myself, I am 26, from Colombia (southamerica). I´ve shaving with DE razors for 5-6 years now, absolutely love it, I also have a shavette that I use from time to time, but now I am looking forward to strat shavin with a straight razor. I should point that in my country classi shaving isn´t much of a thing so it is not easy to find wet shaving products. After all these, my question for you is what razor o kit that´s ona budget, would you recomend for me, or somone has a razor I could buy.

Thanks a lot to all of you
 
rbscebu

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
@dscm94, I had a similar start to the gentlemanly art of straight razor (SR) shaving as you. Living in the Philippines, I found it almost impossible to get anything in-country SR shaving related. It is like I am the only person in the Philippines who SR shaves.

Shipping from overseas makes starting out in SR shaving rather expensive. I am assuming that you already have a brush and soap. Here is what I suggest that you do. Buy the following:

Get two of these if it is within your budget. Trust me, you will appreciate having two.

Each razor comes with a denim strop that you probably will not need. These razors are good and, if properly looked after, should last you a lifetime or longer. You can buy other SR's later when you are more experienced.

Get two of these if it is within your budget. You will cut at least one up while learning to strop.

Don't worry about buying the stropping paste. It is good but not required if you use the B&B Method (see below). You can buy a more expensive (better?) strop later once you know how to properly strop and SR shave.

While waiting for this stuff to arrive, read and study the B&B Method of SR honing:

www.badgerandblade.com

Newbie Honing Compendium

I find myself often linking just a few threads rather than give a long winded explanation that takes me 15 minutes to type on my phone. So, here are my favorite threads to suggest that newbies read if they are interested in making their razors sharp. Lapping film, try it. Setting the Bevel...
www.badgerandblade.com www.badgerandblade.com

It's a long read but essential that you read all of it thoroughly.

Your SR razor(s) will come "factory sharp" but not good enough to comfortably shave with. Use the B&B Method to hone your SR razor(s) to be truly shave ready.

Most will say "the first SR razor you buy should be professionally honed so that you know what a propper shaving edge really is". I agree but was unable to source one under a few hundred dollars including shipping. I had to teach myself honing and SR shaving at the same time. That is were the B&B Method saved me.

If you have any questions (and no question is stupid), just ask here in the straight razor section of B&B.
 
Last edited:
D

dscm94

rbscebu said:
@dscm94, I had a similar start to the gentlemanly art of straight razor (SR) shaving as you. Living in the Philippines, I found it almost impossible to get anything in-country SR shaving related. It is like I am the only person in the Philippines who SR shaves.

Shipping from overseas makes starting out in SR shaving rather expensive. I am assuming that you already have a brush and soap. Here is what I suggest that you do. Buy the following:

Get two of these if it is within your budget. Trust me, you will appreciate having two.

Each razor comes with a denim strop that you probably will not need. These razors are good and, if properly looked after, should last you a lifetime or longer. You can buy other SR's later when you are more experienced.

Get two of these if it is within your budget. You will cut at least one up while learning to strop.

Don't worry about buying the stropping paste. It is good but not required if you use the B&B Method (see below). You can buy a more expensive (better?) strop later once you know how to properly strop and SR shave.

While waiting for this stuff to arrive, read and study the B&B Method of SR honing:

www.badgerandblade.com

Newbie Honing Compendium

I find myself often linking just a few threads rather than give a long winded explanation that takes me 15 minutes to type on my phone. So, here are my favorite threads to suggest that newbies read if they are interested in making their razors sharp. Lapping film, try it. Setting the Bevel...
www.badgerandblade.com www.badgerandblade.com

It's a long read but essential that you read all of it thoroughly.

Your SR razor(s) will come "factory sharp" but not good enough to comfortably shave with. Use the B&B Method to hone your SR razor(s) to be truly shave ready.

Most will say "the first SR razor you buy should be professionally honed so that you know what a propper shaving edge really is". I agree but was unable to source one under a few hundred dollars including shipping. I had to teach myself honing and SR shaving at the same time. That is were the B&B Method saved me.

If you have any questions (and no question is stupid), just ask here in the straight razor section of B&B.
Click to expand...
thank you, very helpfull
 
Frank Shaves

Frank Shaves

Welcome @dscm94!

Normally, I would recommend that you buy a new shave-ready Dovo Bismarck from a reputable seller like Jarrod at The Superior Shave, but this may exceed your budget, and I don't know anything about shipping and the exchange rate between Colombia and the US. You will also need a good leather strop - see this thread:

First few shaves have not been great. | Badger & Blade (badgerandblade.com)

Other options include getting a less expensive shave-ready vintage razor from a reputable seller or a shave-ready Gold Dollar razor from Home | Crescent City Razors which is run by @Slash McCoy.

Thinking out loud, I also wonder if there are any reputable sellers in Argentina and if this might be easier for you.

Can you provide more detail about your budget?
 
Straight up

Straight up

@dscm94 welcome to the world of Straight shaving. As a beginner there are two paths you can take.
Path 1: Cheap and cheerful. This path involves buying a Chinese razor like a Gold Dollar, getting it honed (or buying it though a dealer who hones & sells with an actual shave ready blade), and buying a cheap strop. Easily done for a small outlay. If you take to straight shaving you can upgrade the razor & strop, spares are always handy. If you decide it's not for you, you minimised your loss but re-sell value will be low.
Path 2: The value path. Buy a good quality razor (Boker, Thiers Issard, Dovo) and have it honed by a trusted honer. In this way you'll know what good is from the start; your technique may let you down but it won't be the equipment's fault. The razor will last you a life time, if looked after, and will always be your first ;) You should also buy a strop but I'd aim for a middle of the range one knowing that you are likley to cut/nick/damage it. Later get yourself a top end strop. This path costs more but gives you nice equipment you'll treasure and never regret. If it doesn't work out you can re-sell it and get a lot of your money back.

Razor starter kits sold on websites, in my opinion, are not worth buying especially if you already have the brush and soap. So go on-line and pick up a razor and strop. You'll never look back and wished you'd done it years ago.
 
D

dscm94

Frank Shaves said:
Welcome @dscm94!

Normally, I would recommend that you buy a new shave-ready Dovo Bismarck from a reputable seller like Jarrod at The Superior Shave, but this may exceed your budget, and I don't know anything about shipping and the exchange rate between Colombia and the US. You will also need a good leather strop - see this thread:

First few shaves have not been great. | Badger & Blade (badgerandblade.com)

Other options include getting a less expensive shave-ready vintage razor from a reputable seller or a shave-ready Gold Dollar razor from Home | Crescent City Razors which is run by @Slash McCoy.

Thinking out loud, I also wonder if there are any reputable sellers in Argentina and if this might be easier for you.

Can you provide more detail about your budget?
Click to expand...
Well I am thinking about 40 to 50 dollars tops. Shipping is not that hard, I coul eve provide an adress in U.S, so it would be easier
 
rbscebu

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
dscm94 said:
Well I am thinking about 40 to 50 dollars tops. Shipping is not that hard, I coul eve provide an adress in U.S, so it would be easier
Click to expand...
That being the case, I would recommend a guaranteed shave-ready SR from Crescent City Razors. That will not leave much of your budget left for a strop but you could always use folded newspaper until you can save more.
 
MurderousCrow

MurderousCrow

Hola, y bienvenido!

Good suggestions above. Or, you could consider beginning with a shavette-style razor that uses Artist Club blades. This saves the need to learn stropping & honing at the same time as you learn to shave. Feather Artist Club is an obvious choice, but Schick make AC razors too and there are clones available more cheaply (not all of which are bad apparently).

Espero que te gusta tu viaje en el mundo de afeitar classico :)
 
N

narrowman

Welcome aboard!

Great advice above...

Just to give you some encouragement...

Before Christmas I started out with a cheap Gold Dollar 208 and honed it up myself using the B&B 'Method'. I didn't want to mess up a top end tool. I followed the (lengthy) instructions to the letter and got a good edge straight off. I found it quite a foolproof experience if followed closely. My initial strop was fairly low end (as per advice - and I did nick it a couple of times!).

I am now SR shaving confidently with great results and really enjoying it. Other, better vintage razors have followed, - it's a rabbit hole, you have been warned!!!

Just one way of doing it if you feel confident in your abilities to give it a go without spending a fortune on something you may not get on with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

albsat
Straight razor...I don't know ...
2
Replies
38
Views
3K
albsat
albsat
M
Straight Razor or Metal Case, best for storage of carbon steel straight razor
Replies
16
Views
2K
HazMat Shaver
HazMat Shaver
H
Ideas/suggestions for a shavette
Replies
17
Views
1K
BigJ
BigJ
chuck_l3ok
Hello!
Replies
19
Views
619
cryhavoc
cryhavoc
A
Razor Sharpness
Replies
14
Views
1K
gpjoe
gpjoe
Top Bottom