Discouraged- need pep talk
I haven't been able to get more than one really good shave with my straight razor in the year I've had it and tried to learn to shave with it. The times that I've been able to get a close shave, the result is usually that my face feels totally punished afterwards- nicked up, irritated, dried out, red. I know that I need to try to use it more and practice, but I get frustrated with it. I can shave the side of my face with it just fine, but when it comes to the chin and upper lip area, I just can't seem to get acceptable results. I try to go with the grain first, but it seems to just snag and catch. Slightly ATG causes more irritation. A light touch doesn't cut the hair, and more pressure seems to nick and irritate. Maybe I just need to find that sweet spot. I don't know that my hair is any more coarse or thick than average, but I haven't been able to get really good results on that area. When I watch the how to videos it looks so easy; the blade just glides over or down the chin and the hair disappears like magic. Am I missing something?
Matt