hrmmm. You've been shaved by barbers with straights and still get all cut up?
I don't know what to tell you.
In regards to the mach 3, I thought you were referring to a straight.
I can probably shave 100 times between sharpening. I use a Belgian coticule as a hone. First with a wet slurry, then dry. Takes maybe ten minutes.
Thinking about getting a strop with .25 micron diamond paste, but the coticule does the job, and it passes the hanging hair test. The .25 might make it too sharp. I've heard that having a razor thats too sharp actually gives you a not as close shave because you can't push it into your face at all without cutting.
I have a Japanese water-stone that is about 12,000 grit. I'm sure it would work, but it would take forever. I tried sharpening it with that at first but I wasn't getting anywhere so i bought the coticule. The coticule cuts much faster. It is made of particles of garnet which has a hardness of about 7, vs whatever the hardness of the particles in the japanese water-stone are, much less.
My original experience shaving with straights actually was with an old microtome. Then I bought some junky straight made in Pakistan. It worked but i had to sharpen it often (it could get a good edge, just not hold it). Then I bought the Iwasaki.
Before even considering buying an iwasaki I would buy a much cheaper straight, maybe send it for professional sharpening for about 20 bucks so you know what its like to have a sharp razor (it takes some practice to be able to sharpen effectively yourself). You'll give yourself some nicks at first, but you should be able to get a good shave unless you're from krypton. I understand superman had some problems at the barber for a while. Kept breaking the scissors. Not sure what he ended up doing in the end
)