Here's the way I see it . . . a straight razor is a means to an end. And that end is to remove hair from your face. You can spend much less than fifty dollars and get a razor that is properly honed and sharpened and it will remove hair from your face. You can buy a five hundred dollar razor and it will remove hair from your face. The difference between the former and the latter is mostly bells and whistles. If you spend more money for a new razor that is all shiny with gold wash and fancy scales, it still is only removing your whiskers and, eventually, the gold wash will wear off.
And if any razor is not properly maintained, no matter what the purchase price, it will end up being useless.
My advice is to watch the the
classified section of this forum and look for a razor that is shave ready in your price range. Since the sellers are members here, you are more likely to get an honest deal that you might get elsewhere ( for a vintage razor). And don't forget that any razor will quickly become useless unless you properly strop it before and after each shave and keep it dry.
Regards - Walt