Hi All,

I'm a newbie who has been using a straight razor for only a few months now. However, I had been doing quite well, until lately when I've managed to string together half a dozen poor efforts with an unacceptable amount of collateral damage.

I've been giving myself at least one horizontal cut (not deep) on my left cheek, and shaving my chin below the lip now almost always results in a few weepers. And once I've nicked myself, I seem to cut the same area the next shave.

My pre-shave preparation is good; I use a hot towel and a hot brush and always shave post-shower in a steamy bathroom. I don't use any pre-shave oil, but I've got some on order. I feel I'm taking my time and focusing on the job at hand.

I wouldn't be getting frustrated if it wasn't for the fact that I had been making really good progress; nick-free shaves were occurring more and more often.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!