It sounds like you had a pretty tough time for your first shave but I kinda know what you mean. I never gave myself an er grade cut ( not yet anyways ) the first time I used my Straight shavette, but looking at my face when I was done you would have thought I had just had a knife fight with Jim Bowie! Looking at me after that first shave was not a pleasant experience for the first few days, haha. Stick with it and youl get there, Im new to Straights aswell but I wouldn't go back to a normal razor now.