It has been a good time for me. Perhaps I too would have spent less on new blades, and should have spent less on the vintage blade I bought early on. We live and learn. I think if I had spent less on razors and more on going to meets it would also have been a smarter move. All in all it has been good. DE razors are scary items. I have gotten a few bad cuts from razors over time and none of them have been from straight razors.