Thinking about giving straight razors a try

[tlentz]

Ok so swmbo thinks I'm nuts but I tried to tell her my B&B brothers would not lead me astray. I'm loving the DE wet shaving and I'm finding myself interested in giving straights a try. Am I crazy as she says? What do I do, I see all sorts of razors on the bay on bst. Do I go gold dollar?What's my option with limited JACK, JACK?
THANKS

 

[Doc226]

Whipped dog

 

[Wid]

^^^^ That

 

[jrp316]

+1 for whippeddog.com. Beginner's kits are the specialty of the house there.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Another vote for The Dog.

Buca is selling shave ready Gold Dollars pretty cheap, too.

 

[Micheal Halliday]

just ordered a sight unseen razor and poor mans strop from whipped dog. the purchase experiences went very well, will let you know about eh merch, but Larry seems to have a great reputation

 

[GreekGuy]

The whipped dog option is always a fantastic choice. You have everything you need to start shaving with minimal investment. If you like it, there is plenty of time to track down "fancy" razors. As always, we are here for help when and should you need it.

The hardest part is taking the plunge, so just do it!

 

[KZero]

Another vote for the 'Dog. Larry's great to deal with. Buy with confidence.

 

[thebilgerat]

I'm a couple of weeks out from where you are now. Got a sight unseen whipped dog and strop kit. Highly recommended from me. Although, the packet of clubman's he sent with popped a little and now my desk smells like old man .

 

[tlentz]

I'm a couple of weeks out from where you are now. Got a sight unseen whipped dog and strop kit. Highly recommended from me. Although, the packet of clubman's he sent with popped a little and now my desk smells like old man .

Thanks and thanks for the laugh about your desk!!

 

[Obiwan]

You're not nuts here. You're amongst fellow straight users. Dive right in, read the stickies here, start a shave journal, and don't be shy with questions as things progress.

 

[77TransAm]

You're not crazy at all! The ones that shave with 5 blades are the crazy ones. I got a shave ready gold dollar pre-honed, and stropped, off flea bay for 27 dollars. Saves me the work of having to set the edge and make it shave ready. It also came with a free honing service later on if it gets dull. It's on the way, i'll let you know how it goes.

 

[viper16]

Gotta go with Whippeddog, just placed my order with Larry yesterday to take the plunge myself.

 

[fsturnz]

I might be the lone voice here, but my peronality is a little different. I also got the whipped dog special, and it's a great deal. But I'm also a little superficial and the RAD has a big hold on me. I just didn't like the old and well worn razor from Larry, and almost immediately picked up something nicer from the BST. The whipped dog special went right into a box where it sits today...and I only use it to compare my other blades to when I'm honing. If you're anything like me...and like pretty razors...and if you're the type to stick with something till you master it, you may want to consider the BST first. There are several on the Hobbyist threads that won't break the bank. But if you're looking for a cheap way in, you can't go wrong with a whipped dog.

 

[Lmarkow]

Whipped Dog is a great option for many. I got my first razor off B/S/T from a member; got a great friend at the same time. Still using and enjoying the razor, which I used this morning as a matter of fact.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

It's a life changing experience. Embrace it

 

[noahpictures]

If it looks good to you, get it. One razor, one strop and a hone or two for years of shaving is pretty cool in my book.

 

[77TransAm]

If you're looking for the cheap way in, get a Gold Dollar #66 from a forum member that can hone it in to perfection. With any luck, you'll only end up spending 3 dollars on the straight, and however much else they charge for the honing. You're probably looking at around 30 dollars shipped for a straight that will shave as good as any.

 

[atlanta_hoo]

You are not crazy. When I started shaving with straights, my swmbo thought I had lost my mind, and would likely lose most of my blood. She still thinks I am crazy, no doubt, but she is not vigilantly waiting to call the paramedics, either. She is now more likely to ask, "I thought you only had one frameback, why do we now have two?"

 

[California Cajun]

Ok so swmbo thinks I'm nuts but I tried to tell her my B&B brothers would not lead me astray. I'm loving the DE wet shaving and I'm finding myself interested in giving straights a try. Am I crazy as she says? What do I do, I see all sorts of razors on the bay on bst. Do I go gold dollar?What's my option with limited JACK, JACK?
THANKS

If you're crazy, you're in good company.

I would avoid ebay until you get more experienced and develop a trained eye because there's some real junk being sold there. Same reservations for Gold Dollar. An experienced hobbyist can turn one into something special but a beginner might have a problem.

A few suggestions on a true straight. Either a BST razor that is moderately priced and shave ready from an established member here; a new razor from a vendor that arrives shave ready; a sight unseen Whipped Dog straight, which isn't going to be pretty but Larry is a reputable guy who is dedicated to turning people on to straights as cheaply as possible.

A cheap, albeit controversial, suggestion that I would try if I had it to do all over again would be a Parker Shavette that uses DE blades split in two. You can get one from razorbladesandmore.com with 10 Personna blades for about $20. I think shavettes are harder to use and a machine blade is less forgiving than a true straight, but if you use one and like it you know a later investment in a true straight and what comes with it (strop, hone, etc.) will be money well spent. If you don't like the shavette you're out only $20 and can probably re-sell it on BST for close to what you paid for it.