Looking for first upgrade - need suggestions $300 budget

Several month ago I decided to try my hand at straight razor shaving. Bought a couple Gold Dollars had them sent from China and sharpened them myself. After watching several youtube videos built up the courage to shave and it actually turned out quite enjoyable. Drew some blood here and there but that part of the fun right? So know that I've messed around with some dirt cheap razors, I have the hankering to own something much nicer. My budget is roughly $300, would like to keep it there, but wouldn't mind going up to $400 if there was something really nice. Thier-Issard razors have caught my eye, but most store have limited stock or boring designs.

What's the opinion - worth spending that kind of money on Thiers Issard or should I save up for a custom, or something else? I've thought about vintage, but honestly it's dizzying and I have no desire at this point to redo scales etc. Mostly interested in eye candy.

Thiers is kinda ho hum and is currently made... Invest in something that may appreciate in value

Or
A custom

You are at a strange price point caught between two low for quality Custom and paying too much for off the rack current production razors. An inexpensive Thiers Issard 5/8 Super GNOME shaved as good for me as higher priced TI's in my experience. I think you want something "Special" and I get that and understand where you are coming from. Please don't take offense to this but it is pretty early in the game for you to have discovered what size and grind you may ultimately prefer. It took me close to 7 years to really dial in what I liked. You may be in fact a quicker study than that. If I were you I would pick up a 6/8 or better Sheffield Wedge, an 11/16 Solingen Spike point full hollow ( I always liked the Droescher's), and a 5/8 Hollow Ground Swede. You should be able to do that for the $300. Then I would shave with each of them in rotation for a month or two and then keep or sell any or all of them for around what you paid for them and keep exploring. (or pull the trigger on a Blingy TI if that is what you really want)

What antiquehoosier said and do research so you get then super cheap then after you decide sell them all for more money

I really like Ralph Aust

To be honest, I wouldn't even bother buying a new razor. There's just no need. A vintage razor, of the standard of Heljestrand, Filarmonica, etc, would be just as nice as a new TI. If appearance is an influencing factor, you could also look for new-old stock. They won't usually be as expensive as a brand new razor, unless you're thinking of a Filarmonica, and of equal quality.

What antiquehoosier suggested is also very good advice. At the beginning, get loads of cheap (under $100) razors, so you can find what width, point and grind you most prefer. Then after you've experimented with everything, that's when you blow a load of cash on a particularly attractive razor, such as a custom, NOS filly, new TI, etc.

Ok thanks for the advice guys. I'll be on the lookout for some of the razors mentioned above and do some more reading on vintages. I definitely expect to keep experimenting and don't expect my next purchase to be my last purchase (unfortunately!).

Take a look at some of the vintage Japanese western style straights as well. A stunning level of consistency you won't find in any modern production razor. The very best are crazy expensive, but the merely superlative are in your price range or lower.

oakeshott said:

Take a look at some of the vintage Japanese western style straights as well. A stunning level of consistency you won't find in any modern production razor. The very best are crazy expensive, but the merely superlative are in your price range or lower.

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Truely some of my beat shavers are japanese folders!

Can you guy provide any recommendations (brands/websites) for Japanese Straights or folders? Funny most of my kitchen cutlery is japanese which actually got me thinking about straight razors... but took me at least 6 months to even understand Japanese cutlery not-named-Shun.

You can get a hart steel for your original budget. For vintage, your budget should be able to get you a hospital Le Grelot, which are as good as it gets as far as shave quality imo.

A filarmonica maybe unless prices have gotten dumber since I last looked. You could probably get a really ornate tuckmar for your budget, or a tidy double duck. Bear in mind even something like an old, $35 genco would be a tremendous razor.

Take a look at aframestokyo.com . Takeshi has some from about 150 up to well over 1k. The cheapest one on his site is probably better made than 90% of the razors available on eBay or from new production stock.

oakeshott said:

Take a look at aframestokyo.com . Takeshi has some from about 150 up to well over 1k. The cheapest one on his site is probably better made than 90% of the razors available on eBay or from new production stock.

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Takeshi is a super stand up guy. Drop him a line and let him know your quandary. He can help

OR!

Check SRD for the Mastro Livi "New Grinds". A shade above your budget at $425, but in my opinion at this price point, a helluva lot of bang for the buck.