Newbie in need of help!

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 05-29-2012, 09:17 PM

Hello All! I have been looking to make the jump to a Straight Razor shave after reading Brett's article "Shave Like Your Great Grandpa: The Ultimate Straight Razor Shaving Guide" over on the ArtofManliness.com a few months ago. Since then, I've done some serious on-line browsing and now I am in need of some help just figuring out what exactly I need to make the jump.

I've read from other sites that I need a Razor (duh!) and Strop to start. Then a Brush/Bowl would be nice to have but not a have to have. I would love to jump in head first and buy an awesome restored razor, but feel that since 1. I have never had a SR shave before and 2. Do not know how to actually use a SR, I feel I should start with a new cheap SR.

I would LOVE suggestions, tips, comments, or any general advise for things to look for or avoid as I make the jump into SR shaving.

Currently I am looking at this razor and their Beginner's strop http://www.vintagestraightrazor.com/...and-Pouch.html.

I look forward to learning from the B&B community!

-Bryan

**shakin_jake** · 05-29-2012, 10:33 PM

If you only want to spend $25 on a straight razor then buy one of Matt's razors from this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Straights-DE-s you'll be getting a shave ready straight razor from Matt but the shopping cart yuou linked to, and this is just me but I'd stay away. I keep hearing Slash talk about how good star shaving's strops are for $25 http://shop.starshaving.com/Leather-...-Strops_c2.htm and if you buy one of star's strops, get the 2.5" width

Wanna save some more money? this is uber cheap http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00 and you'll get a brush ans a soap stick shipped for $13. BTW, I just ordered on of these for myself. I like shaving with lessor priced shave brushes and Arko stick is a good soap. I've gone throughg a few of those ...it is good soap, but there is better, like Proraso or Cella for instance, or Tabac, all under $15 for a puck or tub

That will get you going and it's all good kit w/o blowing your paycheck. FWIW I cleaned up a Worcester straight like Matt is selling and it's a good razor IMO. here's mine-

I've shaved with it 3X's so far...it's a decent straight razor IMO. I found mione through ebay 2 weeks ago, then cleaned it up, put an edge on it, then shaved with it. straights are pretty easy to shave with despite what some make them out to be, and putting an edge on them is not rocket science

Best,

Jake
Reddick Fla.

**Sledgehammer39** · 05-30-2012, 03:33 AM

Welcome Aboard!

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 05-30-2012, 07:56 AM

Jake thank you for the advise! I will take a look at all the links you included and hopefully make some purchases soon. Thanks!

**Slash McCoy** · 05-30-2012, 08:54 AM

Check out www.whippeddog.com

Go for the sight unseen deal. Tell Larry when you order that this is your first straight, and he will hook you up. The Poor Mans Strop Kit that comes with it includes a very cheap beginner strop, which is good because you will likely slice it up learning to strop, and a pasted balsa block which you can use between shaves to help maintain your edge. He can also hook you up with a dirt cheap badger brush. The kit will cost I think $55 and the brush I think around $20 or a bit less. Then all you need is a mug and a puck of soap, and I recommend Van Der Hagen (VDH in badger-speak) which is about $1.87 at walgreens or walmart. LATER, after you have learned to strop and will not destroy a new strop, upgrade to the Big Daddy 3" strop from www.starshaving.com. There is no strop of this size and quality that can touch this price.

The razor that you linked to is apparently not a reputable brand. I would guess Pakistani? Let someone else bite, and review it. What I can tell you about Larry's whippeddog razors is that they are old classics that have been much loved and used, and show it, and they are not restored... just cleaned up a bit and honed to a very nice shave-ready edge. Not pretty, (actually, some are) but great shavers, and you want to shave, not admire the razor, right?

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 05-30-2012, 10:23 AM

Thanks! I'll check out Larry's site.

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 05-30-2012, 01:00 PM

Slash, Larry told me to tell you, "Well, tell Mr Slash hello and thank you!" Thank you for everyone's feedback. I look forward to my first SR shave. Should I be practicing techniques with a butter knife in the meantime? haha

**Toxic515** · 05-30-2012, 01:11 PM

Run away from that website / straight razor. My son bought one of those. They're unusable. (GB Buckingham..) But as you found, Larry's the man! Slash's suggestions are exactly where I got started, and I have the 3" Strop from Star Shaving. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Also, Walmart (and a number of other local drugstores around here) have the VanDerHagen SET for $11. It includes a brush, puck, and a bowl. That'll get you rolling just fine. Best of luck, and welcome aboard!

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 05-31-2012, 08:01 AM

I purchased the VDH set at Target last night and my first attempt at shaving with brush/soap/bowl. It was...interesting to say the least. I think I need more experience. The lather didn't seem as thick as I was expecting, not sure if it was too little water, too much water, not enough elbow grease, etc. I think I need to do some more homework...

**Slash McCoy** · 05-31-2012, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Bourbon & Bowties

I purchased the VDH set at Target last night and my first attempt at shaving with brush/soap/bowl. It was...interesting to say the least. I think I need more experience. The lather didn't seem as thick as I was expecting, not sure if it was too little water, too much water, not enough elbow grease, etc. I think I need to do some more homework...

Do you mean thick as in "thick layer" or thick as in stiff, not very liquid? You don't need a big santa claus beard of lather. Just cover the face.

A quick review of basic face lathering technique:

1. Run hot water until it is good and hot. Run some on your puck and let it stand. Hold your brush under the hot running water so it gets warmed and hydrated.
2. Pour off water. Flick excess water out of the brush. One good flick should do it.
3. Swirl the brush lightly around the top of the puck, about 40-50 swirls, to pick up soap.
4. Swirl wet, soapy brush over face and distribute soap.
5. Re-wet brush with a quick dip of the tips in hot water. Don't wash away the soap from the brush... just add water to it.
6. Work brush on face to introduce more water into your face lather. Repeat as necessary until you have a good, slick lather.

Do you have the VDH boar kit, or badger? The boar doesn't hold nearly as much soap and water as the badger. It is still usable but the results will be different and your technique will be slightly different. Boar is somewhat scrubbier and will not need as much swirling on the soap due to the stiffer more abrasive bristles of the new, not yet broken in, boar.

**Bourbon & Bowties** · 06-01-2012, 10:53 AM

I have the VDH badger kit. So after doing some more research yesterday, I realized that I had not used enough water previously. I had only let water run over the brush for 30 seconds or so and then went straight to the soap...which was dry. So last night I attempted a super lather, I first soaked my brush and let water stand on top of my soap for a good 5+ minutes. Then I worked up a better later thank the day before with the soap. Once I had what I though was a decent lather, I added about half an almond size of the Burt's Bees Shave Cream to my mug and swirled some more.

The ensuing later was better than the previous days, but I still believe that I was lacking in water. I initially gave the brush a slight flick and light squeeze (must have been too much). I added a few drops after a while and each time I did the lather looked better and better...