Not a dissappointing shave but....

We after spending a week trying sideburns then cheeks I decided to give the whole shave a go today with my straight. It wasn't a wholesale failure but there was plenty of blood that dissappeared quickly meaning no serious cuts and plenty of whiskers left over and PLENTY of Razor burn. I caught myself several time feeling the need to MAKE the razor work instead of LETTING the razor work, thus too much pressure I'm sure. I have the feeling that I have stropped the edge to death with bad technique. I just don't feel like I am doing it correctly. I'm following all the videos and faq and advice I just have not idea how to judge whether I am doing it correctly or not. I can run the razor through my arm hair and it cut hair and it definitely takes off stubble when i look at the lather after a pass but I cannot help but feel like it isn't sharp enough especially after 2 passes WTG and I felt like i didn't shave. Can some give me a good way to know if I am stropping correctly. Perhaps it just takes a lot more laps than I am doing. I have a 5/8 Stainless INOX razor from SRD. I guess it is a "generic" soligen made razor.

I cannot say whether it is sharp enough. Your saying that it will pop arm hair without touching the skin, just gliding over it, is a positive sign. Skin stretching and blade angle are very important. As for avoiding nicks, never force the razor as my sig line below says. FWIW, my first couple of weeks breaking in to straight razor shaving were finished off with a DE. Takes time to get the technique and coordination down to a point where you can get the whole face shaved decently IME.

I think one thing is that either your giving too much pressure (most likely) or your blade isn't sharp enough either from it being a stainless blade or bad technique from stropping. Now, if the razor came form SRD, it was honed by Lynn most likely so when you got it, there was nothing wrong with it because the best honer there is honed it. Now, if you put pressure on the blade edge while stropping, you very well may have rolled the edge and the razor will have to be re-honed. Remember that you lead with the spine and the edge should slide across it with virtually no pressure or resistance. I recently went to a paddle strop which I think is better for a beginner because you are less likely to roll the edge because the strop isn't flexible.
Shaving on the other hand is different. Glen (gssixgun) started a thread about single pass shaving I believe in the shaving forum. I tend to shave every weekday and so the one pass is usually enough for me, its the equivalent of a Mach III. But, if you want the full effect, in my opinion, you need to plan for three passes. First WTG, second XTG, the finally ATG. That usually takes everything off. Also, for the smoothest shave in a single pass, go with a wedge style razor, but do not apply pressure because the weight of these blade literally push the hair off and will take the skin with it if you use pressure. Another thing I have noticed is that I do not get razor burn unless I hold the razor too flat (ie. greater than 35-45 degreees), or make multiple passes in the same direction and hence taking off the top layer of skin. The multiple passes in the same direction are pointless. My problem area is the neck, but I have found that using a smiling blade makes this much easier and smoother, but most new razors I have seen do not have smiling blades.
I know this is a long response and I am sure there will be better advice to follow. These are just things that I have observed personally and since adjusting I get great shaves and very little if any irritation. Just stay with it, you have to crawl a little before you can walk. Besides if you are a GA boy like me you should be able to learn this with you eyes shut!
Good Luck!

#1 if Lynn honed it it WAS sharp and probably still is.

#2 I shaved for a long time with a semi-dull razor and it improved my shave considerably over time by forcing my to improve technique.
Since I couldn't just plow through it I had learn some tricks, like scything and guillotine cutting.
Now with a truly sharp razor it's like butter.

#3 I've handed a razor with a screamin edge to a newb and watched them have a hard time.

#4 Watch the blade angle to your face closely, chins require some adjustment to keep from going 90 degrees to flat by accident.

#5 Stop forcing it.
Nothing good can come of forcing it, and lots of bad.
Do you really wanna be number three?
Second U.S. Face Transplant Patient Regains Feeling - ABC News

Perhaps add areas of your face one place at a time rather than trying tackle the rest of it one step. Going from just the area between your sideburn and jaw line to everything else at once is a pretty big leap. Each part of you face will require a different technique and skill. For many people, myself included, learning to the shave the chin area seemed to take a very long time. Slow down a bit and enjoy the experience... :gl: