Technique, technique, technique. Having shaved many years with DE's and STR8's the major difference is technique. At least in my case. DE's can give a very, very good shave, smooth and with no irritation. But one thing about a DE razor is that the exposure of the blade to the skin, is somewhat controlled by the razor, which is why you don't need to quite as "careful" when shaving with it. Don't get me wrong, you can cut yourself easily, but still you can relax a bit more with a DE than a STR8.

For example, I can shave my neck quickly with a DE and get a good, close shave with no irritation. When using a str8 I must stretch and be very, very careful, watching the angles, etc to not get irritation.

The end result is that the STR8 gives me a better shave, but takes much more effort to get there without irritation, etc. I still shave with my DE when I need a good shave and don't have time to do a proper Str8 shave.

It can take a very long time to figure out the right direction and angles for any one particular area of your face and everyone is different. I'm still learning things about my face, in terms of shaving.

Keep at it. If you do, you'll notice how things change over time.