Sorry to hear your first few have sucked. I would argue that most of us had similar experiences. There are a few that report having dreamy shaves the first time they pick up a straight, but IMO it's safe to say they're in the minority.

You mentioned not feeling like you really knew how to hold the razor when shaving. It's easy for me to say that holding a straight razor in any position needed feels natural, but really, it should not feel completely awkward. If you haven't already, look for Dr. Chris Moss' PDF manual on shaving and of course find Lynn Abram's segments on Youtube. Practice holding the razor in each hand when you're not shaving to get more comfortable.

If you feel irritation during the shave, stop shaving. Take a few steps backward; I mean start only shaving your cheeks (usually they're the areas that are least prone to irritation (chin, upper lip and neck are most prone to irritation) and stop after shaving your cheeks. That way you can practice the correct angles and practice your skin stretching (absolutely necessary).

Keep in mind, shaving your chin area is a whole different ballgame than shaving your cheeks. It would be easy starting out to feel like shaving your cheeks is second nature after only a little practice. Then.....trying shaving your chin can shut you down. That's why goatees were so popular back in straight shaving times and still are among some straight shavers today I'm sure. Shaving your chin area takes much more practice.

Finally, you think 30 min is way longer than this should be taking you? Think again. Many experienced straight razor shavers take that long to shave their entire faces. If I take my time and do a WTG and XTG and really get my chin and neck as smooth as my cheeks, I'm at 30min.

I hope this helps.

Chris L