First straight shave, ups and downs.

Take your time, I also had the same problem with thinking that it was dragging and feeling that SR was not for me, I even thought that the razor was not sharp enough to cut the hairs when in fact it was, the leather kept drying up and frustration, I kept at it and it took a while, but as others mention stick with the cheeks with WTG strokes and you will soon feel confident to progress, if it gives you confidence I am at the stage now that I don't feel any dragging and a get a clean smooth shave with 2 WTG passes, there other day I jumped in the shower, jumped out, lathered, 2 passes, dried the razor, stropped it and job done, didn't even think about, if I can do it so can you, persevere my friend and you will get there.

Your description of your initial attempts fits in with my initial experience. I have parked the SR for a few weeks, but this thread has inspired me to go back to it.
 
I use a straight every now and then just for the fun/challenge. Otherwise I use a DE. I've never been able to get the chin as close as I can with a DE. It's the same with the under the nose area.

I could just use the straight and get it "good enough" but I'm used to running my hand over my face after a DE shave and it's totally smooth. With a straight it's just never quite there without a DE touch up.

I have kind of a pointy chin and the surfaces just aren't as flat as it is with some of the YouTube shave videos that I have watched.

It's a fun and relaxing "hobby" for me just the same, including the honing but I'm not sure if it's possible for me to get a straight shave that is just as smooth all over as with a DE.
 
I use a straight every now and then just for the fun/challenge. Otherwise I use a DE. I've never been able to get the chin as close as I can with a DE. It's the same with the under the nose area.

I could just use the straight and get it "good enough" but I'm used to running my hand over my face after a DE shave and it's totally smooth. With a straight it's just never quite there without a DE touch up.

I have kind of a pointy chin and the surfaces just aren't as flat as it is with some of the YouTube shave videos that I have watched.

It's a fun and relaxing "hobby" for me just the same, including the honing but I'm not sure if it's possible for me to get a straight shave that is just as smooth all over as with a DE.

Yeah that has been my experience, well up to last night when i actually managed to get one cheek BBS :D slowly but surely i'm making good progress and getting slightly better with each shave. Familiarity seems to be key, when i have to get up for work in the morning i'm only ever going to reach for the DE, however i find that if i shave daily with a straight when i can (days off and before night shifts) then i get better with each shave.

Keep at it, and i'm sure it will soon become second nature, also my experience has been that the right soap is far important with a straight than with a DE, and not necessarily the same soap.
 
I'm feeling similar - enjoying this thread. Nice to know everyone else has the same experiences.

I'm a few weeks in and I can definitely get BBS on cheeks, using one WTG and two XTG passes (in both directions), but I can't seem to find an angle to go XTG on neck, and ATG is a no go.

Really struggling with the chin - can't seem to pass the blade over out without snagging. And it's been re honed! :oops:
 
I'm feeling similar - enjoying this thread. Nice to know everyone else has the same experiences.

I'm a few weeks in and I can definitely get BBS on cheeks, using one WTG and two XTG passes (in both directions), but I can't seem to find an angle to go XTG on neck, and ATG is a no go.

Really struggling with the chin - can't seem to pass the blade over out without snagging. And it's been re honed! :oops:

I'm in a similar boat, XTG on the neck isn't going to happen i don't think, at the moment i'm doing 2 WTG passes and then ATG which i don't have a problem with except the chin as well. I'm experimenting with pulling different faces to see which gets the skin tightest as this seems to be key to me.
 
Likewise for me this is a very reassuring thread that completely details all the challenges I have at this stage. Knowing others have lots of difficulties actually fills me with enthusiasm rather than pessimism.

I did get two SR shaves in this weekend.

I am trying that very dangerous point where I think I am getting the hang of it. Most worrying. This is generally where a setback lies.
 
Okay, so I've been at this for well over a couple of weeks now and had perhaps 15 SR shaves and I can now get a shave as good as I could with my DE razor with 3 passes, except under my nose/top lip, that is to say it's not quite as smooth as the rest of my face. I did pick up a natty little 3/8 razor on ebay last week, once I've got that honed it might be ideal as a top lip shaver!
 
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