Major you have taken the exact same trip in wet shaving as I have. You also gave about the exact review of what my experiences have been. I will say that once you find that magic combination in your DE your hurry up DE shaves will rival a straight shave. They don't seem to last as long though. If I want that almost straight shave with a DE for me its a VTG red tip Gillette an feather blade. Or a Merkur hd slant. < That's a wicked shaver. Still nothing beats the shavette an straights.