Straight razor newbie, need some advice!

Hi everyone, i'm new here and new to straight razor shaving in general. I've been interested in switching to a straight razor for a while now and finally decided i'm gonna buy one ASAP. I just want some advice on what to buy for my first straight. I was looking at this set on amazon which includes a strop and badger hair shaving brush. It's by A.P. Donovan and costs £140 ($223). http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-P-Donovan...m_sbs_d_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FYYHVHN41Y7J7HMPPEB Is this a good investment for a first time buyer? As I know good quality straight razors can last a lifetime if cared for properly. Or is there anything better you would suggest for a noob like me who wants a good quality blade that will last a long time but I don't wanna spend TOO much money atm. Thanks for any advice given

Welcome. I can't believe I'm going to say this as it tends to be an oft repeated mantra but.....go to whippeddog.com and get yourself a poor mans strop kit and a vintage straight from there. It will come truly shave ready and will be a very good and very affordable start for you. I've never heard of A.P. Donovan and have never seen one of those straights before but it looks hinky and cheap. If you wanted a new and reasonable priced straight then you may want to consider a dovo or theirs issard. They're a bit "vanilla" but consistantly good quality. I'm only a couple of months in myself and by no means an expert but my experience as a newb is for you to go vintage and buy from a reputable source.

Hi and welcome! I am not familiar with that razor and related gear, so I really can't speak to it. What's most important when starting out is making sure the razor you pick is "shave ready." Typically, razors right from a manufacturer are not, though they may be close. When I started, I picked up a razor from a member here on the Buy Sell Trade sub forum. New members with fewer than 50 posts can purchase on BST, but must wait for 50 posts to list gear for sale, fyi. Another option is a razor from one of the websites that has a reputation for selling shave ready razors, such as "whippeddog.com," though these inexpensive razors are typically "user grade," but with shave ready edges. Hobbyists also list razors in the hobbyist sub forum. Buca is a popular option there for shave ready gold dollar razors.

Hope this helps. Please don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you need. The guys here are real helpful and happy to help out.

Good luck!

Second what Larry said. Everyone should try straight shaving, but it's not for everyone and so it makes sense to minimize your initial investment. Given the ubiquity of high quality vintage straights available in many places, it seems wasteful to me to purchase a new straight razor for 3x or 4x the money. A Gold Dollar, made ready by someone like Buca or Seraphim, is also an excellent option that lets you know if straight shaving is for you. That's all you're trying to find out and spending over 100 GBP seems like a lot to figure that out.

You'll also need a strop and the strop kit from whippeddog is a fantastic value. Not just an inexpensive strop, but a piece of balsa charged with powdered abrasives that will help keep your edge going for weeks.

Myself, I always advise to buy a vintage razor, prepared by someone who knows what they're doing, as I see more value in those than a new Gold Dollar. Admittedly, they can be made to work, but after all you only have just that, a cheap Gold Dollar instead of a piece of history made by the true artisans of the past.

That being said, I don't think you should buy that set on amazon. I don't trust it, it looks too good to be true.

The amazon set looks too good to be true as stated above. You can get a Star Shaving strop for $30 or so. Vintage straight from a name maker for $50 or so from a member here or Whipped Dog. $80 all in, not $223.

Then you can decide is straight shaving is good for you and if it is not, you're not out a lot of $$. You can always get more razors or more expensive ones in the future if you like the shaves.

Okay guys so i checked out that site whippeddog and was gonna buy the dovo razor they have. Then i found the same one on amazon but with a different handle for like $60 less http://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Blade-Col-Conk-exclusive-handle/dp/B002P9ISYO I think i'm gonna get this as its got good reviews. And i'm not worried about whether or not straight shaving is for me because it's the only way i wanna shave from now on lol. I'm also not worried about the learning curve because I play guitar and skate, so i think learning to use one of these should be very easy in comparison haha

Like the it has been said before, most of the brand new razors are not Shave Ready, so be sure to send it to be hone and strop nicely by an experience user. The alternative is for you to try and hone it your self, but that is another issue altogether and with no experience to compare, it will be hard to know if it is really ready for shaving.

I support the idea of whippeddog's vintage razor, that way you will get a razor that you can shave with right out of the box, no need to worry about stropping (at least the first couple of times).

But a brand new, never been used, just my piece of sharp metal, is always appealing , so go out and do what makes you happy

Please be sure to lets us know how it went with your first straight razor shave and first and foremost, Welcome to the dark side

Also, you can usually find a dovo best (without the col conk etch) for about $100. Check out the superior shave. It will come shave ready.

knifeVSface said:

Okay guys so i checked out that site whippeddog and was gonna buy the dovo razor they have. Then i found the same one on amazon but with a different handle for like $60 less http://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Blade-Col-Conk-exclusive-handle/dp/B002P9ISYO I think i'm gonna get this as its got good reviews. And i'm not worried about whether or not straight shaving is for me because it's the only way i wanna shave from now on lol. I'm also not worried about the learning curve because I play guitar and skate, so i think learning to use one of these should be very easy in comparison haha

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No! Please do not buy a Dovo off Amazon. Dovo's, especially the cheaper ones like the one in the link, need to be honed in order to give you a decent shave. And some of them are utter crap, meaning with serious problems of the basic geometry.

That being said, you can buy shave-ready Dovo's in US based webstores for under 100 USD! And for 200 USD you can get a nice shave-ready 6/8" Ralf Aust - which in my opinion is a better brand than Dovo these days (better = less quality issues, and prettier although that's a matter of opinion).

The AP Donovan razor on Amazon appears to be a rebranded Titan.
If so, I got mine last year for $40 (razor only) and it is a fine razor.

Follow all the good advice you have received. 1. Very important to purchase a "true shave ready razor". A new razor from the factory will not be shave ready when it arrives at your door. 2. Purchase a nice used razor from a forum member. You will be money ahead in the long run. Work on developing your shaving skills and then purchase the razor you really want for the long haul.

Chaloney said:

Also, you can usually find a dovo best (without the col conk etch) for about $100. Check out the superior shave. It will come shave ready.

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Agreed. The razor you're seeing on amazon can be had for much less at the Superior Shave.

Not much I can add, except to say "Good for you!" for getting ready to take up straights.

As mentioned several times, buying a shave-ready used razor from the BST (or our hobbyists or vendors) or whipped dog, will allow you to put your toes into the water and try straight shaving without a major up-front investment.

Seeing you list prices in pounds and are looking at Amazon UK I am going to make a leap here and assume you are in England. If that is the case I would suggest a fine Sheffield produced vintage razor. Many websites carry gorgeous examples of fine Sheffield craftsmanship and you would get a razor with several lifetimes worth of use left in it and have a sense of connecting with your countries history.

I would get a DOVO Shavette and learn with disposable blades. Once you get the hang of it, you can order a nice one of solid steel.

If you have the funds, buy a good razor(TI, dovo, vintage off best). You can sell & get your money back. I recommend a TI. Make sure its honed by someone who know what they are doing. Plenty of fine gents who will help you out.

Having only just started the straight journey myself & loving every shave, I'd recommend taking a look on (of all places) eBay - straight razors (even decent vintage ones) can be had for relatively little. I bought a very good condition 1930s Kropp for £25 (including a cheap but surprisingly good strop), spend another £12 having it honed & it gives a great shave.

Yeah, that A.P. Donovan does look flashy cheapo trying to be pass off as "Hand made" craftsman quality. Nothing wrong with cheaply made stuff, that performs well, as long as it's priced accordingly. But this one...

It is very important when buying your first straight razor to purchase one that is shave ready and properly honed. Buying that Dovo off of Amazon is very likely not going to result in a pleasant experience, unless it is honed properly beforehand.

The advice about getting your first razor from one of the sellers here or from whipped dog is good. I would definitely recommend following that advice.