I assume by &quot;old fashioned&quot; you mean a safety razor, not a straight razor.<p>Safety razors are indeniably cheaper long term (although expect to pay $100 ish to get a good handle, brush, bowl, blades, and soap). You&#x27;ll likely break even after ten years (assuming $1.50 cartridges Vs. 10c blades). You&#x27;ll also likely receive a closer shave with a safety razor.<p>That being said... I did the whole safety razor thing. It was fun. But then I switched back to cartridges. Why? In order to get a good close shave with a safety razor while also minimizing the chance of nicks, cuts, and razor burn you need a good quality thick lather.<p>Unfortunately creating a good thick lather can easily take ten minutes. You cannot really use off the shelf shaving foam or gel because it doesn&#x27;t provide enough protection for a safety razor.<p>So ultimately I decided I wanted shaving to be a 10 minute activity in the mornings, and not a 20 minute activity. Also creating lather isn&#x27;t the most fun thing to do first thing after you wake up, in particular if you&#x27;re working it hard (as you should).<p>Cartridges are quick and easy. They&#x27;re the ultimate lazy man&#x27;s solution. And you can use off the shelf non-foaming gels (e.g. &quot;King of Shaves Alphagel&quot;, &quot;Gillette Fusion ProGlide Clear Shave Gel&quot;) in the shower (and, yes, wet-shaves are a must either way, buy an inexpensive non-electrical anti-condensation travel mirror (i.e. you tip hot water into a compartment behind the mirror)).