Preferrable brands of older razors? & stones

[JD Spydo]

I have in the last 3 months gotten interested in learning the skill of sharpening straight razors so I can use one. I got a BOKER made in Germany on Ebay for $18. Now I will admit that I am new to the field of razors. But the BOKER seems like a quality built Razor and I am going to try to learn on it unless one of you House professionals can recommend a better one. I've owned 3 of their knives and they seemed like quality cutlery so I expect their razors probably have a passing grade.

Actually I would like this thread to do 2 things. First of all list the good brands of old straight razors so that a novice like me can at least be assured that he has obtained a quality razor. Second I would like to know what sharpening equipment you seasoned veterans of straight razor shaving prefer.

I have a cousin who is a barber in Mississippi and he still uses a straight razor in his barber trade. He told me that he prefers "Dubl Duck" from Germany over anything he's ever tried. So is Dubl Duck a good brand? Also I hear Shapton Waterstones are proported to be the current best stone to sharpen a razor with. So what do you all think?

 

[Howard Wallace]

Boker is good, as is Double Duck. Henkles are also sought after, as are Wade and Butcher. There are a host of others collectors like too. Your Boker should be just the thing for learning the ropes, and then for shaving the rest of your life if you like it.

Of the older blades, just about all made in Europe or the US are of high quality. Any junk would have been thrown away years ago. If you're looking for something to shave with rather than collect, you should be more concerned about how it has weathered the years than about the manufacturer. If the blade has giant nicks in it or lots of rust, pass on it. Lots of hone wear on the spine indicates that the razor is a good way through its useful life.

The modern Pakistani blades are, by most reports, junk.

I've got old "Swaty" and "Barber's Pride" hones and they do the job for me. Again, I would look more for chips and wear than manufacturer.