Thinking of Getting a Straight

[Gabriel]

I've been a DE user for a while now, but there is something very alluring about getting a straight razor. Anyone have some recommendations for getting started? What would be a good razor, strop, etc?

[JohnP]

As far as newly manufactured straights, Dovo and Thiers Issard are the main ones still in production (I think perhaps Giesen-Forsthoff also) then there are razors that are custom or semi custom.
Personally for a first straight I would check out the BST here or over at SRP and see if anyone has something shave ready.
Strops are a subjective thing. The best ones around are probably Tony Miller's strops, followed by Dovo/Jemico and bang-for-the-buck, Illinois.
If you already have brush and soap,
You could get by for some time with a shave ready razor and a strop; for touch ups you will probably want a little something "extra" but not quite as in depth (yet) as a regular hone, and that would be a pasted strop or something similar, or a finishing barber hone, for when the plain leather doesn't seem to be helping.
Ultimately down the road you'll want a regular hone too. Trust me, I know. It becomes a horrible, horrible, addiction.

John P.

[Lucius]

I know kenrup sells starter kits, with Wapis I believe. They are good razors but the stainless steel scales make them significantly heavier than other razors and the balance is a little different. It took me some getting used to, and I'm still not thrilled with the weight of the scales. I feel like I have to fight with it a little bit, but the razor itself is good.

The Dovo special gets a lot of love and for good reason. I have one and like it. It's one of the cheapest ones you can get from Dovo or Thiers too.