Thread: Is there a place or website in the states where the basics won't break the bank?

I found a nice W&B 1/4 hollow for about $40, and I'm slowly assembling the rest of what I need.
Mama Bear's provided the soap, and I'll make do with the bowl and mugs from my kitchen until I'm good enough at this that I'll want to invest in a nice scuttle and mug.

Only thing left is finding a decent badger brush that won't break the proverbial bank, and a decent leather/linen strop.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

well...99% of people here are going to point youto tony miller's apprentice strop (and i will too) he makes GREAT products. I personally have a 4 sided paddle strop from him and i bought my friend a Red Latigo strop for his b-day (lucky bastard) Great products!

The Well Shaved Gentleman The Heirloom Razor Strop Company

Dave, if you are going to be wet shaving, even if the straight razor doesn't work out, then everything not directly used for the straight razor itself will be useful. I purchased and used my soap, bowl, brush, pre-shave oil and aftershave long before the purchase of my first straight.

Tony Miller has some apprentice strops available right now. They are not always in the inventory. I would jump at that one. In addition, Crabtree and Evelyn has a nice brush for about $35.00. Lots of folks start with it and even continue to use it as they acquire additional brushes.

Crabtree & Evelyn sells affordable best badger brushes. The Edwin Jagger suits me fine.

X

Tony Miller strops are awesome - The apprentice is great if you are starting out learning to strop becuase you will nick the strop and it is much better to nick a $29 strop than one that costs $80.

I have his red latigo/cotton 3" strop and it is amazing. He offers a practice strop for an additional $6 if you buy the strop I just mentioned or one of his top strops. It's a great deal!

I would also look at the B&B buy/sell/trade and the classifieds here at SRP and you can get a better brush for the same $ from one of the members. They are always selling great quality brushes at very fair prices!

It really depends on your budget. At $10-$15 there's pretty much one badger brush - the tweezerman. Crabtree&Evelyn/EdwinJagger are made by Muhle (sp?) and will cost you about $50.
Top shelf badger brushes start at just over $100 for shavemac and simpson and go up to at least $500 for Plisson HMW.
As suggested if you look at the classifieds here or on the other shaving forums you can get used brush for less than the retail price. Still the most important question is what is your budget as that is the limiting factor.

If money is that tight, just buy an $8 boar brush at Walgreen's. It's true that badger is a lot better than boar, holds more water, etc, but honestly, if you shaved two identical twins, one with boar & one with badger, I doubt you'd be able to tell which was which. Boar is plenty good enough to get started. Van Der Hagen is probably the best of the cheap soaps (better than Williams IMHO). They also sell that at Walgreen's.

You can get a tweezerman badger brush for 10-15 bucks on the net, apuck of soap for a dollar and everything else in the classified section of this website at very reasonable prices, if by chance you cant find what you want/need let us know, somebody is bound to come up with it.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

If money is that tight, just buy an $8 boar brush at Walgreen's. It's true that badger is a lot better than boar, holds more water, etc, but honestly, if you shaved two identical twins, one with boar & one with badger, I doubt you'd be able to tell which was which. Boar is plenty good enough to get started. Van Der Hagen is probably the best of the cheap soaps (better than Williams IMHO). They also sell that at Walgreen's.

+1
Omega sells outstanding boar brushes, for a good price.
Badgers add comfort, luxury and personality to the shave.
Treat yourself with one when you earned your first (or second) straight shaving wings.

Good Luck,
Bart.