Xman, your article highlights the reason I started this thread. I have no understanding of what it is like to see the Northern Lights, to shovel feet of snow, to gaze at sublime mountains ands words like Yukon and Klondike? -- for me it's bayous, hot humid summers, live oaks and words like Atchafalaya and Baton Rouge. Your reasons for using a straight razor are equally unique as your culture and environment and I appreciate both.

For what it is worth, I've had a long fascination for the The Great Northwest. Maybe one day.