As much as I hate to say it, it took a long time to get a "great" shave out of a cartridge ie- Mock 3. I started shaving around 13, and when facial hair is that light you can use anything for a decent shave. A few years later though, when that light fluffy hair goes from peach fuzz to wire, is when things started to go wrong. I should add that I had worn a beard of some description for many years (cutting down the need to shave) but this was due to personal reasons as much as an adversion to shaving itself. Even before I started using a straight it was only this past year that I could achieve a near irritation free shave from the cartridge, and that was due to sites like SRP and B & B, using prep techniques, a badger brush and good soap. I am now at the point where I can get a great shave from a straight alone, but must confess that I still resort to using the Mock 3, often due to time restraints, having only one usable straight, no hones, etc.............