Sometime between now and the next few months, I think I'm going to go the straight route, or at least give it a try. I would like to do this with a minimum investment, using minimum space and the minimum of associated toys, and I'm seeking some advice, or at least an enabler to put the seal of approval on my plan.
Paddle strops just don't appeal to me, nor do hanging pasted strops. I've already won THIS AUCTION, and I'm working that into my evil plot.
I think in terms of a strop, Tony Miller seems the only choice that keeps coming to the top. I keep waffling between his Latigo Starter strop at $30, and his Original Heirloom at $50.
For a razor, I harbor no illusions about simply starting with my auction win-- unless a meister wants to whip it into shape for me. I'm thinking a 5/8 Dovo Classic Black, presharpened from Vintage, as they seem to have them in stock. I'd buy whatever Tony Miller has, but I think the only razors he offers these days are in those large sets, and I'm just not that interested in the whole set, which seems to have about $30 worth of stuff I don't need.
So, it looks like the most inexpensive razor/strop I could get would be $110. (unless someone is willing to hone me up!)
Now, for something to keep it touched up. Keep in mind, I'm a long time Feather AC user, and I know what sharp feels like. Also, remember I don't want a paddle strop or a hanging pasted strop. I'm thinking along the lines of a Scary Sharp system, with a Horse pad covered in 0.5 micron Chromium Oxide. $68, less the 20% discount if they still offer it. The plan would be to eventually supplement it with two glass plates ($30), the film, the glue, and their 1 and 1.5 micron pastes (~$75 more), and use that as my entire honing system. Alternatively, I could skip the new razor, and just go for the whole honing system, and see what I can do. That would be about $145 less the 20% discount, and $30 for the strop, or about $150. If I could get a honemeister, I could even just go with the leather half of the hone system, and try that later. Now I'm at $55 for the bench hone (leather and 0.5 micron only), and a $30 strop, and I'm into the biz for less than a C-note.
Any thoughts??
OK, here we go w/ straights
Put in a WTB ad here and/or over at StraightRazorPlace? There are people who sell shave ready vintage straight razors for as little as $35, shipped, even though $40-50 is more common.
If you're new to stropping you will want the cheaper beginner strop, because it's almost inevitable that you will nick the strop at some point before you get the stropping technique down.
As for touching up the edge, you could do quite well with a barber hone (see www.redtrader99.com for instance - and you can also get straight razors from that site!). I would suggest the Frictionite #24 for touch-ups, and the Cushion strop hone for more serious edge restoration. Those are the ones I use most of the time.
/Nicholas
If you're new to stropping you will want the cheaper beginner strop, because it's almost inevitable that you will nick the strop at some point before you get the stropping technique down.
As for touching up the edge, you could do quite well with a barber hone (see www.redtrader99.com for instance - and you can also get straight razors from that site!). I would suggest the Frictionite #24 for touch-ups, and the Cushion strop hone for more serious edge restoration. Those are the ones I use most of the time.
/Nicholas