We Americans look at things a bit differently than our British cousins. As an example take shotguns. Our American shotguns were heavy, robustly made and not particularly attractive field pieces. They were tools, that's it. They did their job very well putting meat on the table and dispatching vermin.
The Brits on the other hand made elegant shotguns, highly engraved and stocked with the finest walnut. Balanced perfectly, they were often made in matched pairs (an expensive proposition even with today's CNC machinery). They were (and still are) works of art.
Straight razors are probably similar. To us, a tool, nothing more. It removes facial hair. Why on earth would you spend extra money getting seven of them, with fancy handles and engraving even! Why it made no sense to our country's settlers!
But to a "refined gentleman" of means? Why works of art are in order! That is why we have Purdey shotguns and Ferraris, Saville Row suits, and custom made fedoras.
A tool is a tool. I will use a Craftsman wrench, but I love to use my Snap-Ons!