A few more under the belt...
Well, it's been about 5 or 6 shaves now, and the results are in: I'll never shave with a cartridge razor again. :D
It's been an interesting learning experience, since I started with a brand-new DOVO, a DMT D8EE and an Illinois hanging leather/linen strop. I can safely say that while it took a little more than I hoped, the learning curve of honing wasn't as bad as I feared. Despite the fact that the blade appears to be warped (see this post) the DOVO has been getting sharper and sharper. After stropping on the linen all the way through "Pirates of the Caribbean" on Sunday, it now passes the HHT all along the length of the blade.
My shaves are getting better in different ways each time, as I usually am focusing on what I thought I could have done better from the last time.
The Good:
I can get almost any part of my face as smooth as I want it in a WTG, XTG, ATG progression.
My shaves stay lots smoother lots longer than they ever did with cartridge razors
The Bad:
While I'm sure that a deficiency in technique has a lot to do with this, it is very difficult to get the _extremely_ wiry hair on my chin and neck (where it grows in almost every direction imaginable) completely BBS.
I'm having a very hard time waiting an adequate length of face-recovery time before I find myself dragged by an invisible force to the bathroom, strop in hand, for another shave...:w
I don't foresee myself having much loose cash in the near future...:w
