I have over 30 straight razors and I try to include them all in my rotation, shaving every day. Like a father, I try to love all my straight razors equally. That's not easy when some behave better than others.
It's only that fraction of a millimetre of lather that's actually in contact with your skin that's doing the work. It doesn't matter whether you shave with a DE, a straight or a sharpened rock, the slicker your lather the better, and that usually means a bit more water.
I disagree with you here. SR shaving requires a different lather from that which is optimal for DE shaving. I and may others who shave both SR and DE can attest to that. Slickness is important to both but DE shaving normally requires some "cushion" that SR shavers do not require. This "cushion" comes from a less hydrated lather that is a little thicker.
...and I'll disagree with you.
I've never had much need for "cushion" from any soap, with any razor. It's probably why I got away with lathering up with Pears hand soap for decades. Zero cushion there... 
I’ll take one for the team and agree with you. The best DE lather is one that is dripping wet. Globs of lather literally scrambling to get as close to my nipples as they can!...and I'll disagree with you.
Ouch!
I think that's probably true. It certainly does get in the way of a really close shave, IMO. This might be why I've been enjoying hard milled soaps so much lately, as they contain no clay to provide cushion or get in the way of the blade. (At least in the case of C&S/Valobra and D.R. Harris.) Or so goes a pet hypothesis of mine. I've no way to prove/disprove it.
I just like the clouds of lather that roll up on the razor Str8 or DE with each stroke. Also reminds me when to rinse before lather starts running down the razor handle.
No harm intended, just stating a fact. @Gargravarr has stated that his SR shaving experience was a while ago when he was shaving with a straight razor that he made himself from a piece of scrap steel that he had lying around. That is possibly why he seen little difference between all the different shaving methods.
Bullshit. I said I made it from a piece of Damascus I had lying around. That's not the same thing as just any old piece of scrap. I no longer recall exactly which steels went into the forge, but they were all premium quality new tool steels, none of that chainsaw rubbish. And I also never said there was anything wrong with the finished razor, I just stopped using it when I started shaving my head. I might have described it as home-made, but only in the sense that it was made by a professional blacksmith for himself, and not for sale.
I agree. The main difficulty I previously had with smaller blades was getting the correct shave angle. As my technique improved, that became a non-problem.
