straight or safety razor question for newbie

I, like most, am getting fed up paying high monopoly prices for razor refills to the tune of $15 for 5. I want to switch to something else so that I am not contributing to the Gillette monopoly... jeez...

For everyday shaving before going to work, is a straight razor feasible or does straight shaving take too long? If so, should I go with an old fashioned single blade safety razor instead? Single blades are cheap if one can find them anymore.

I would prefer a straight because I won't be contributing to any monopoly and it looks cool. Plus a straight razor is a real weapon... LOL.

For everyday use before going to work in the early morning, which would work best for a newbie? Thanks.

That's a hard question. You have to be willing to invest a bit of
time with either implement to get up to speed, and the learning
curve of the straight is steeper than that of the DE.

Assuming you have good technique with both tools and many
shaves under your belt, the time it takes for a straight shave
can be pretty close to that of a DE. However, since you're
concerned with time, you might become frustrated with the
initial slowness of a straight while you're learning, so for that
reason maybe you should choose a DE. If you're truly interested
in shaving with a straight, then make sure you're dedicated
enough to learn to use it.

Or, start with a DE and learn to make good lather with a brush
and properly prepare your beard, then if you want to pick up a
straight you'll be that much closer.

Regards,

- Scott

Very good advice so far. Another thing to consider is the initial investment for switching to a straight is fairly expensive compared to a DE. Razor,getting the razor honed,strop etc. A straight also takes maintenance.