~Shave Ready~ Shaving Straight Razor 6/8" GD w/Box 208 Gold Dollar Straight Razor, The Blades Grim Soap, Synthetic Shaving Brush, GB Buckingham Strop - Complete Straight Razor Set

This is quite a long review, and I apologize in advance.I bought this on a whim. I have a problem with ingrown hairs in my neck, and it seems that my 4-bladed disposable razor was to blame. After a bit of research, I decided that I should try a straight razor to see if it would solve most of my issues. It did, which was thrilling.The set came pretty quickly, which I was happy about. One of the small USPS boxes.The soap had liquefied from the heat, but I solved that by sticking it in the freezer for a bit, which helped tremendously. The brush and strop came in plastic sleeves which were easily removed. The razor itself came in a small rectangular box. Inside the box, it was surrounded by bubble wrap, which I was glad for. The guide was neatly placed on top, and they even included a sticker with the Blades Grim logo.The razor: 4/5. The blade is itself is wonderful. It came relatively sharp, but needed quite a bit of stropping to pass the hanging hair test. I expected this, so it wasn't an issue. The scales are plastic and quite flimsy, but the design is pretty neat. Reminiscent of carbon fiber. It is almost too easy to open, so one needs to be careful when carrying it about, as it is likely to open and cut something if not handled properly.The brush: 5/5. Simply put, absolutely amazing. The synthetic bristles are incredibly soft, and have no scent of their own. The handle looks to be a solid piece of rubber or soft plastic (the same sort of texture), and is very easy to grip. Retains moisture during the shave, which is a plus.The soap: 5/5 Smells absolutely incredible. Lathers nicely, and with the right strokes from the brush, a little can go a long way. Unfortunately, I don't have any pre-shave oil as of yet, so it doesn't provide that "glide" that most others seem to feel using the soap. Perhaps this is due to how coarse my hair is, or my shaving angle needs improvement. I'm not currently using it at the moment, but it is a solid product.The strop: 1/5. About 2 inches thick, which makes stropping difficult if you're a beginner. I recommend watching YouTube videos on how to properly use the cross method. The way the strop was packaged for me meant that it came with creases in the leather. Since you have to be relatively careful with the blade while stropping to maintain the proper angle, the creases make it difficult to make a decent pass. Given that the blade of the razor is also very delicate, I decided not to use the strop at all initially. Thankfully, after doing a bit of research online, I found that you can strop using newspaper, which acts almost like a "finisher". After 200 or so passes, the blade will easily pass the HHT using this method. This is the method I used until I happened upon my great-grandfather's leather strop (I thought this was pretty neat given that I can see the nicks in the strop that are well over 100 years old and it sort of adds to the "tradition" of the shaving experience), which is what I use now before finishing the blade with newspaper. I would recommend using newspaper until you can find/buy a decent strop of your own. If you're a beginner, find something at least 3 inches wide so that you can make straight passes.Overall, I would highly recommend this set for those who are beginners. The included guide gives clear directions on how to properly shave, which is a huge bonus. I recommend supplementing the information contained therein with videos on YouTube so you can figure it out. It can be tricky, and you will nick yourself a few times, but after you get the angle right, it is a truly glorious shave. Not to mention that feeling of "manliness" you'll get upon successfully shaving.With the exception of the strop, this is an excellent beginning set until you can purchase one of the more expensive razors, and you can't beat the price for a full set like this. Give it a shot and see if it is for you. Once you master it, you'll never want to go back.

I got a "Grim Dollar," so before you buy, be aware that you may get a variant rather than the blade pictured. I have no problem with this, but think carefully it you're giving it as a gift.The Grim came excessively oiled to protect it during shipping. Once wiped down, it had a shave-ready edge. The fiancee liked the smell of the shave soap, and the strop seems like a reasonable performer despite being a bit narrow for the blade's length.If you're not a snob then I believe this is enough razor for you.

First things first... This is my first REAL straight razor. I like everything in the kit... the soap smells great, the strop is sturdy ( a little on the stiff side, but it'll break in ) and the synthetic brush was a surprise. I wasn't expecting the brush to work as well as my badger hair brush, but its awesome.. especially for lathering shave soaps.. haven't tried it with creams yet. The razor... I bought this razor because I don't really care so much how it looks. The checkered plastic scales are not fancy, they weren't designed to be, but they haven't caused any problems. The edge doesn't catch the scales when you close it. The gold dollar logo is wearing off after 2 uses, which personally I think it might add to the aesthetics once its worn off. Now, on to the most asked question in all the reviews... Is this razor shave ready? Close, but no dice. While this is my first REAL straight razor, I have been using a shavette for nearly a year, so I'm pretty familiar with the technique. I stropped the blade (about 50 laps on the fabric side, and again on the leather side) and while it did improve, still, no dice. The razor will definitely shave the back of my hand, but absolutely will not cut through my beard. But the great thing about this package, it comes with free lifetime honing... you just pay shipping. So, I'll send the razor off to be honed, and try it again. For the price of these razors, I might even buy another one just to have as a backup when I have to ship one out for honing. As long as you don't look at this package expecting it to be perfect, you won't regret it. This really is a great deal, just make sure you get the razor honed before you use it. I know there are quite a few reviews that say this razor is shave ready, and maybe mine just got a not so great hone. But, better to send it off for honing and know for sure rather than shaving and having your beard pulled. Cheers!

This straight razor includes everything a beginner could ask for! I've always fashioned myself to be a manly man, a man's man, a gentleman, and this fits the bill. The seller is knowledgable and is quick to respond to any of my questions.The straightrazor is sharp right out the box. The brush has a nice scent that's held up after many uses and the handle is smooth to the touch. The grim soap has an amazing and interesting aroma, it produces great lathers that's strong and lasts. The strop is what sold it for me, it's synthetic ,well made, really warms the blade and not to mention serves it's purpose. Do you know how tough it is to find a synthetic strop? It's tough.I find the action of stropping peacful and self rewarding but the smooth shave with this razor is the prize. After taking my beard down a notch reapplying the shave soap for the next round feels luxurious, I wish I could shave all day!I had questions upon receiving my straight razor, the seller informed me that each straight razor is tested for sharpness prior to shipping and the clear oil placed on the blade is to protect it from rust.This set is a great gift to any beginner interested in learning how to shave with a straightrazor, it includes guide to straightrazor shaving too, but I could also imagine a pro appreciating the quality of the blade and set especially at the price they are selling for!Going out with a smooth straightrazor shave really gives me the edge.Thank you all for puting this set together, I can't wait for the journeys we will go.