Budget for beginning with straight razor shaving?

Bixmox

Bixmox

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9
Hi! I recently bought a shavette as a starting ground for straight razor (because it was very cheap) and I am loving it.
I am pretty much ready to buy a proper straight razor but when I used the beginner guide and looked on Norwegian sites for everything I needed it told me it was gonna cost over 500$ which I think sounds like an insane amount.
Just the honing stones alone cost 100$ each and the stainless steel razor was like 200$

I need help starting out relatively cheap - I have no issue buying used from for example eBay.
Would someone please help me, for example, find used or restored gear from eBay so I can start shaving properly?
I personally have no clue on what straight razors on eBay are good and not. I will also need honing and stropping gear I suppose?
 
Look up lapping film. Pennies ( compared to honing stones about 10-12 nok ) per sheet. I so hope I got the conversion right.
 
jimmyc said:
Look up lapping film. Pennies ( compared to honing stones about 10-12 nok ) per sheet. I so hope I got the conversion right.
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What's lapping film? kind of confused as it looks like sand paper and I can't really find any on eBay which looks like what you are talking about.
And also, how does this compare to whet stones? I am guessing I also only need #4-5000 and #8000 right?
 
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Google " cousinsuk " and look for lapping film or Google lapping film and cousinsuk will come up. It's just like very fine sandpaper. Needs a flat base to use it, plate glass granite etc
 
jimmyc said:
Google " cousinsuk " and look for lapping film or Google lapping film and cousinsuk will come up. It's just like very fine sandpaper. Needs a flat base to use it, plate glass granite etc
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How does this compare to stones? and do I only need #4000 and #8000 grit?

This will also be way more expensive for me as Norway has really messed up customs where on any non VOEC registered company you need to pay about 20$+ 25% extra of the product and shipping, it is really stupid so this might be almost as expensive as it would be for me to get at least one Naniwa whet stone (only one they had on the website I was looking at)
 
Bixmox said:
How does this compare to stones? and do I only need #4000 and #8000 grit?

This will also be way more expensive for me as Norway has really messed up customs where on any non VOEC registered company you need to pay about 20$+ 25% extra of the product and shipping, it is really stupid so this might be almost as expensive as it would be for me to get at least one Naniwa whet stone (only one they had on the website I was looking at)
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I might have got my currency conversion wrong. ie for a £60 stone you can get about 20 sheets of film and each sheet can be cut to 3 stone sizes. So much cheaper
 
jimmyc said:
I might have got my currency conversion wrong. ie for a £60 stone you can get about 20 sheets of film and each sheet can be cut to 3 stone sizes. So much cheaper
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Do they perform as well? And if I manage to score on the razor it self I might be able to justify spending 120£ on the stones
 
I would suggest buying a shave ready vintage straight razor when the BST forum reopens. The main thing to look for is shave ready. Add to that a paddle strop and two 3M lapping films, pink and light green, to keep edge shave ready. (maybe exercise stropping using your shavette (no blade) to get the feel for it before stropping straight razor)
 
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Nisse said:
I would suggest buying a shave ready vintage straight razor when the BST forum reopens. The main thing to look for is shave ready. Add to that a paddle strop and two 3M lapping films, pink and light green, to keep edge shave ready. (maybe exercise stropping using your shavette (no blade) to get the feel for it before stropping straight razor)
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Alright thanks, I see that you are from Sweden, where would you recommend buying lapping films from?
 
Get yourself a polished tile that is 8”x3” and cut the films to size. Then under the 1 micron film after you use it, put some wet white paper and use it again. After that you strop the razor and you are good to go. There is a good thread on it. If you want, pm me so I can sent it to you. It is on another forum...
also get a cheap strop. The first one you will damage and it will be and expensive learning if you buy an expensive strop.
 
You don't need to spend any where near that amount of money, all you need to get started is a shave ready razor (go vintage, cheaper, and quite often better) budget £50 for that, and a reasonable paddle strop, say another £35, perhaps some chromium oxide strop paste for one side of the strop, less than £5 and you're good to go.

Unless you really want to start honing then why worry about that for the moment, razors can be sent out to be honed a quite a reasonable price, and even if you want be able to re-fresh your own edge, as others have said, lapping film is an inexpensive way to achieve that with very good results.

On UK Ebay seller billyji1 does excellent restored razors, a little bit expensive but truly excellent edges, very knowledgeable and very helpful, and also a range of strops. I'm sure he would be able to help you out.
 
Nisse said:
View attachment 54170
If you can find a piece of leather for cheap a DIY strop can save money, making a paddle strop is easy and a bench strop (paddle strop without handle) even easier.
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SammieM said:
Get yourself a polished tile that is 8”x3” and cut the films to size. Then under the 1 micron film after you use it, put some wet white paper and use it again. After that you strop the razor and you are good to go. There is a good thread on it. If you want, pm me so I can sent it to you. It is on another forum...
also get a cheap strop. The first one you will damage and it will be and expensive learning if you buy an expensive strop.
Click to expand...
Bazz said:
You don't need to spend any where near that amount of money, all you need to get started is a shave ready razor (go vintage, cheaper, and quite often better) budget £50 for that, and a reasonable paddle strop, say another £35, perhaps some chromium oxide strop paste for one side of the strop, less than £5 and you're good to go.

Unless you really want to start honing then why worry about that for the moment, razors can be sent out to be honed a quite a reasonable price, and even if you want be able to re-fresh your own edge, as others have said, lapping film is an inexpensive way to achieve that with very good results.

On UK Ebay seller billyji1 does excellent restored razors, a little bit expensive but truly excellent edges, very knowledgeable and very helpful, and also a range of strops. I'm sure he would be able to help you out.
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Thanks lads, definitely gonna be helpful this!
 
I have tried lapping film, not a fan... lapping film is disposable, once it has worn it no longer cuts as it is supposed to, so you throw it away, the same will happen to all the film...use xxx times then bin it, I do not see that as value, even a cheap 1k bevel setter will last a lifetime, and will still have a resale value, same with all the whetstones, you keep them for many years, then maybe replace one but sell another, so there is always a resale value and that helps you upgrade to better stones if you feel the need to. A homemade bench strop is the way to go for sure, you can knock one out in 15mins once you buy the leather...ebay or if you know someone getting rid of a old leather suite...cut some out of it. A piece of wood 9"×3"× .5" is fine, any old glue will do. I have a few shave ready and ready to go, I will throw in a tub (used) of prorasso red or green or white, if you prefer vitos I will accomodate you with a portion of that, to top it off I can give you a gillette brush, not great brushes by any means but would do you until you find something you like.
 
Bazz said:
You don't need to spend any where near that amount of money, all you need to get started is a shave ready razor (go vintage, cheaper, and quite often better) budget £50 for that, and a reasonable paddle strop, say another £35, perhaps some chromium oxide strop paste for one side of the strop, less than £5 and you're good to go.

Unless you really want to start honing then why worry about that for the moment, razors can be sent out to be honed a quite a reasonable price, and even if you want be able to re-fresh your own edge, as others have said, lapping film is an inexpensive way to achieve that with very good results.

On UK Ebay seller billyji1 does excellent restored razors, a little bit expensive but truly excellent edges, very knowledgeable and very helpful, and also a range of strops. I'm sure he would be able to help you out.
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Thank you Bazz. Your advice inspired me to check out Billy's listing on eBay. I asked him for a little advice too. As a result, I have just ordered my first straight razor and a strop.
 
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