Greetings Shavers, a New one would ask for advice

Greetings. I have recently decided to start using a Straight Edge Razor in my shaving and have spent the weekend reading up on this area.
I wonder what the best way to buy an Straight Edge is. Should I aim to get one and and send it to a honemeister or try to find one that is already honed? Also, what is a fair price for a new razor?

I have been looking at http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/ which seems good, but unfortunately seems to be all out of stock.
I also saw http://www.abovethetie.com, which sadly only seems to have one (but a dovo, quite beautiful)
I wouldn't mind buying one in the B/S/T area but haven't found one there yet.

I would rather at least order one sooner than later.

I was adviced to post in here for better answer rather than in the newbie area, so I mostly just copied my post there, since nothing has changed in a few hours really.
This text is here to prove that I didn't lazily just copy everything

Thanks in advance

BST, the hobbyest section, the vendor section, whippeddog.com....lotsa places. Generally, find one you like at a price you can afford from a well-known, respected brand, get a decent cheap strop and a way to maintain the razor (high-grit hone or a balsa strop...see "poor mans strop kit" at whipped dog). Often the package deal that many here started out with is the whippeddog.com sight-unseen with poorman's strop kit. all you'll need to get started in one box. If that doesn't float your boat, then get a razor you like the looks of and get it honed...there are several on here who would do it for cost of shipping, just cuz we like to hone. if you have questions about a razor you have your eye on, just post it here, and we'll let you know.

Most important thing is just to get one, make sure it is honed properly (factory edges...often times not so hot), and get started. ;D

Whipped Dog sight unseen razor and a poor man's strop kit, as Krodor noted. That's pretty much what I started out with. It has what you need, not what you don't, and is relatively inexpensive. That's what I'd recommend for beginners. Once you get comfortable with the techniques, you'll have a better idea of what you want to try next.

I've got to third the recommendation for whipped dog. I'm new, just like yourself, and mailed Larry recently asking for a particular brand of razor that isn't so common. He mailed back right away and saying he'd keep a lookout and then found it a couple of days later. I got a razor I wanted at a great price.

Also just curious for future reference. How long does it usually take SRD to restock their dovo best quality? Their price and 2 hone deal is great (I'm sure that's why they are oos).

best value is our very own BST!

Thank you all very much! I have checked out whippeddog and put in an order just to get this started, as I am certain I will quite soon start to scavenge B/S/T after "my own" razor, but one has to start somewhere

RADisorder said:

Also just curious for future reference. How long does it usually take SRD to restock their dovo best quality? Their price and 2 hone deal is great (I'm sure that's why they are oos).

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~~~jarrod http://www.thesuperiorshave.com/Dovo_Straights_Pages/Dovo_BestQuality_Straight_Razors.html has 6/8 full hollow Best Quality razors in stock...he'll send it to you shave ready. How fast do you want one? If you order now, he'll ship today (Wednesday) and you'll likely have it before the weekend


I've probably bought half a dozen razors from the superior shave (Jarrod). Very good service, fast shipping & he'll put a righteous coticule finish on it before sending it out. If you're wanting a BQ Dovo, buy from Jarrod w/confidence. Lynn (SRD) will put a good edge on a Dovo BQ too but you said he is OOS


I've heard some here complain that the DOVO BQ razors can come warped. Buying a straight razor with somewhat of a twist is not unheard of, and why I prefer to use a 1.5" width hone for touch ups and the like yet several months back a n00b sent me his Dovo BQ (5/8) to hone for him and it was perfectly straight. the bevels on both sides of the blade was the same height from the toe to the heel


About Lynn's two hone deal...that is a nice service, no doubt. How can you argue with a free second honing? Having said that, if you have a razor in need of honing, you can get your razor honed for free from one of any number of members here. Here's what you do- Start a new thread asking if one of the members will hone for you. State that you would like to try a coticule edge, or an edge finished with a Thurringian hone, or a J-Nat edge, or a Norton/Naniwa/C12/etc. synthetic edge, or you would like to try a lapping film edge and could someone hone your razor for you. Get the picture?= there's probably at least 20 B&B members at any one time that will hone pro bono. All you have to do is ask, & pick up shipping both ways, which you'd have to do with Lynn's free 2nd hone service anyways



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

shakin_jake said:

Having said that, if you have a razor in need of honing, you can get your razor honed for free from one of any number of members here. Here's what you do- Start a new thread asking if one of the members will hone for you. State that you would like to try a coticule edge, or an edge finished with a Thurringian hone, or a J-Nat edge, or a Norton/Naniwa/C12/etc. synthetic edge, or you would like to try a lapping film edge and could someone hone your razor for you. Get the picture?= there's probably at least 20 B&B members at any one time that will hone pro bono. All you have to do is ask, & pick up shipping both ways, which you'd have to do with Lynn's free 2nd hone service anyways



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

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Wobbler,

Jake tells no lies here. Many of the members run out of razors long before they run out of rocks. What happens is one evening they go home and discover they have nothing to hone so they start doing repairs around the house, reorganizing the linen closet and giving the dog a bath with their wife's shampoo. Next thing you know, the Mrs. is posting on the board under her husbands name the offer of a pif of free honing to the first fifty takers.

Think of it as a combination of charity and marriage therapy.