Mine costs me a few cents per blade and gives a very close shave.
But I pretty quickly got to a point where cuts were even less common than they were before I started using the safety razor, and I think my experience is pretty much the norm for anyone who sticks with it for 5-10 shaves. It takes a bit longer, but it's a better shave with less irritation, and the ritual of it is a lot of fun.
And some of the shaving creams that you apply with a brush (I'm thinking specifically of Taylor of Old Bond Street's rose-scented one) smell absolutely incredible.
For more than thirty years, I've used disposable Blue II (dirty cheap, they last one or two months each), cream (not sure if that's the word in English... 2€, it lasts a whole year, no kidding) and a brush (natural weasel hair, they last an average of twenty years). I make the whole thing in three minutes, no cuts, no pain, very close.
I've tried electrical shavers, gel, more than two razors and all sorts of novelties, but nothing was a real improvement. I think they can insult us, cheaper customers because we really couldn't care less. While they keep making the cheap stuff, they can bark all they want :-)
I have to say I was pretty pleased by how quickly and consistent the shave was relative to Mach 3. Being accident prone and generally impatient in the morning, it's resulted in no blood loss so far (it's been about 2 months since I started using them). I've used 2 blades in this time which to me is worth the cost relative to the time I save and the quality of the shave I get.
Of course this business model is quite immoral in a world where disposable, non-recycleable things are known to be unsustainable.
