You are definetly ahead of me in this matter. I have never really gotten particularly close a shave with my straight, although there are a lot of hair in the sink when I get done and amazingly enough no blood. I vow here and now as long as I live no cartridge or electric razor shall ever touch this face of mine ever and the double edge shall go away once I get this straight shave down pat. It's close, but nothing like what the double edges can do every day.