Yep, the Second Razor Made a Difference
I ordered a second razor from SRD after only 3 - 4 weeks of using a straight. I felt like my technique had improved significantly, my I still was experiencing (what I thought) was an unusual amount of pulling and tugging. I concluded that I had dulled the first razor during the first few weeks of the learning process. I was too impatient to wait for the first razor to be honed, so I jumped in and bought another. Finally, for the first time this morning, I feel like I got a presentable, pain free shave! It's still not as good as my DE shave (and it takes almost 3 times as long), but I feel like I can walk confidently without cuts or missed patches all over my face. Thanks to all for the continued tips and encouragement.