~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

I have never left a review on any product I've ever purchased. Always thought it was a waste of time but I was so amazed by this razor I thought a good review was warranted. To be honest when I first got this razor I was extremely disappointed with it but it was my fault. I was a brand new beginner when I bought this razor so the first thing I did, like any newbie probably will do is I tried to strop it for no reason. When I did I did it wrong and cut halfway through the strop. My fault. If the razor was sharp when I got it I wouldn't know because that dulled the soft chinese steel right away. I tried shaving with it and it pulled every hair it came in contact with. So it took me a half hour but I finally got through a painful shave. I kept using it for 2 weeks after every other day or so and stropping it correctly thereafter and the shave never improved. I finally got fed up and went to the art of shaving at the galleria and bought a 200 dollar German steel razor, but while I was there I got a chalky stropping paste the clerk reccomended. I got home and started shaving with the German steel razor and it was amazing. No snags and a super smooth shave, but halfway through shaving I had a bright idea and stropped the gold dollar razor using the paste with the strop from this kit. After I properly stropped it with the stripping paste I finished shaving the other half of my face with the gold dollar and it was a completely different experience. Oh my god, it was as good as the 200 dollar razor! I swear. Moral of the story is I'm happy I have 2 razors now but the softer chinese steel is very easy to hone out and sharpen to a pristine razors edge but you absolutely need stropping paste to do it. And as its softer steel you have to strop it more often, but for the money it works amazing. Please don't make the same mistake I did. Strop it with stropping paste!!!

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.

First off, let's talk about what kind of a deal this was. You show me another company that offers a package like this for even double what it was being offered for ($10)! I've always been interested in trying straight shaving out but never jumped on it. An offer like this left me no choice, and I could not be more pleased. Or clean shaved...The package arrived 2 days ahead of schedule which is mind blowing considering A) nothing ever arrives to me on time, and B) at the time, the company had over 100 orders to fill within 24hrs! To me, that screams dedication, and determination.Now to the products, I expected the brush to feel like steel wool on my face by the looks of it. Wrong, it is very comfortable to apply the cream and in a way feels quite comfortable to use. The leather strap if very nice and does as it should. I've stropped twice with it now, no problems. It is not as wide as some bands which causes you to use the "X" pattern. As a beginner I look at it on the positive side as it forces you to learn the basics. As you get better it becomes easier and actually enjoyable. Setting everything up is almost a ritual. The blade looks fantastic. I have nothing to compare it to as this is my first, but I would have spent over $50 just for it. The shave soap is amazing. A huge difference in my opinion over regular shaving cream. The smell, texture, and feeling of is trumps any other product I have ever used. So far, I've just been heating the brush with hot water then mixing it with the soap right in the can. I've heard of the "hand" method or mixing it in a cup but so far, the tin works for me.Overall, I am more than satisfied with my purchase and cannot wait to make another!