I tried a side-by-side comparison (if that is at all possible) of feathers, Gillette 7 'oclock yellows, and astras in a Shavette next to my straights. The DE blades were sharper at first than my straights. But I then touched up my straights on CrOx and 0.5 micron diamond and they became as sharp or sharper than the feathers. The DE blades in the Shavette tended to stall or not be able to plow through the denser parts of my face, where the straights were better. Out of the gate, a DE can be sharper, but my straights can be just as sharp and stay sharp longer. I also found out that my Sheffield blades did not react well to the diamond on felt paddle.