rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
There are times when a DE/SE shaver wants to try traditional SR shaving but may be put off by the gear they think they will need. Here I am trying to list the minimum requirements in both number of items be cost to experience SR shaving.
Assuming the shaver has brush and software, here are my suggestions:
Razor
1 x Gold Dollar 66 truly shave ready and finished off on 0.5u, 0.25u & 0.1u pasted balsa strops. Cost about $25(?).
Strop
1 x cow-hide about 60mm wide. This is used to strop the razor before each shave. Can be purchased on AliExpress for about $10 and includes an integrated denim strop.
Balsa Strop
1 x 300mm x 75mm x 6mm to 12mm thick balsa wood glued to a similar sized but 20mm to 25mm thick non-warping flat substrate (e.g., cast acrylic) using rubber glue. This is used with diamond paste to refine the blades edge after each use. Cost $10 to $20.
Diamond Paste
1 x 5g 0.1um tube. This is applied to the balsa Strop. Cost about $8.
Sandpaper
1 x 120 grit sheet & 1 x 320 grit sheet wet & dry. These are used on a marble tile to flatted the balsa strop surface. Total cost about $1.
Marble Tile
At least as big as the sandpaper sheets and at least 6mm thick. This is used as a perfectly flat backing for the sandpaper. Cost about $1.
There you have my minimalist traditional SR shaving setup. Total cost is about $50 to $60, not included shipping.
If you cannot get a suitable truly shave-ready razor, you will need additional equipment like sheets of lapping film, a lapping film substrate, two more balsa strops and two more diamond pastes (0.5um & 0.25um).
Assuming the shaver has brush and software, here are my suggestions:
Razor
1 x Gold Dollar 66 truly shave ready and finished off on 0.5u, 0.25u & 0.1u pasted balsa strops. Cost about $25(?).
Strop
1 x cow-hide about 60mm wide. This is used to strop the razor before each shave. Can be purchased on AliExpress for about $10 and includes an integrated denim strop.
Balsa Strop
1 x 300mm x 75mm x 6mm to 12mm thick balsa wood glued to a similar sized but 20mm to 25mm thick non-warping flat substrate (e.g., cast acrylic) using rubber glue. This is used with diamond paste to refine the blades edge after each use. Cost $10 to $20.
Diamond Paste
1 x 5g 0.1um tube. This is applied to the balsa Strop. Cost about $8.
Sandpaper
1 x 120 grit sheet & 1 x 320 grit sheet wet & dry. These are used on a marble tile to flatted the balsa strop surface. Total cost about $1.
Marble Tile
At least as big as the sandpaper sheets and at least 6mm thick. This is used as a perfectly flat backing for the sandpaper. Cost about $1.
There you have my minimalist traditional SR shaving setup. Total cost is about $50 to $60, not included shipping.
If you cannot get a suitable truly shave-ready razor, you will need additional equipment like sheets of lapping film, a lapping film substrate, two more balsa strops and two more diamond pastes (0.5um & 0.25um).
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