Don't know about straights. Just this past week I found a great blade, razor and soap combination. BS every day. However when I used a different soap, it failed. When I went back to the original soap, the BBS came back. It this case, it was the soap that made the difference.
To be honest, when I got back into wet-shaving, I had absolutely NO interest in learning to use SRs. I considered SR users more of the eccentric shavers—that odd fringe of forum shavers who enjoyed literally 'living on the edge' with their collection of blades, hones and leather strops. To my way of thinking, the concept of dragging large blades of exposed steel across my neck in the morning was ludicrous. No thanks! A few years in, another TSD member encouraged me to give SRs a go. His view on the subject was much like Steve's post above ("Our ancestors did it. So can you."), which sort of compelled me to delve into SRs. Years later, no regrets. Best decision I've made in wet-shaving. However, having been there, I completely understand the hesitancy to consider SRs—especially if one is content with his current approach to wet-shaving (DEs, SEs, etc).
My Old Types do provide me with some of my closest shaves, plus I just like using 100 year old stuff. As to the rest I will not comment since I probably opened my own can of worms with my recent comment on the cell phone.
Understandable, particularly if one reads all the SR threads on shaving forums. Essentially all that is needed to maintain a straight razor is a leather strop. That's it. Forums are a great source for information but the hobby/collector aspect in shaving forums has simply over-complicated what is the very simple task of shaving with a straight razor and keeping the edge in shape with some laps on leather. All the additional talk of collecting synthetic and/or natural hones, pastes, multiple strops can be intimidating—and obscure the simplicity of the task.
Our ancestors also bathed in streams, used outdoor plumbing and thought the earth was flat and the rest of the universe revolved around it(sorry, I couldn't help myself). Much love and tons of respect to my brothers on the Dark Side. That doesn't stop from tweaking 'em tho.
"Not my circus, not my monkeys."- Polish proverb So now we can say it is your can, they are your worms.
Bathed in a stream. Check Showered outdoors. Check Pooped outdoors. Check Shave with straight razor. Check Earth revolves around me. Check Now I get it. You have to have a nice tub, a bidet, and a safety razor. No problem Mr. Modern Man. (Tweaks always come back)
Who would have known? Calculus, differential equations, and Newtonian Physics are the most elegant and elaborate hoaxes of all time. We've been had...