Help!! Im a little overwhelmed. (And my first shave didnt go well at all)

[AdamSong]

HI Everyone,

There is so much to to know, and for some of it I have nothing to compare it to... No baseline. You know, what it should feel like, or look like, etc. So here was my first experience and some backround... Maybe somebody can tell me where I went wrong???

I have a gotee so I dont need to shave my chin. My stubble has always been stiff and wiry, as a result I was going through those fusion blades like crazy... And spending a fortune to boot (those blade are ridiculously expensive. One of the reasons I choose to switch to a straight razor was to save some $$$). Anyway, I bought on Ebay a new Zeek straight razor, 2 strops (one I coated with cromium oxide for future use).

Ok, so, I began thre shaving process by washing my face to soften my stubble. I then proceed to apply edge pro gel shaving cream to my face. I then washed the blade (with soap) to remove any residual oil. I then stroped it about a dozen times on the cloth side, and about the same on the leather side. I began shaving, keeping the blade at a 30 deg angle. It wasnt cutting, so I pressed down harder and it pulled and scratched, and at first didnt glide well, but began to remove the stubble amid some nicks. It wasnt until the blood really began to run that the razor seemed to glide somewhat better. In the end I had to finish up with the fusion razor (which now hurt with all the cuts), and I looked like I had been thrown through a plate glass window. Luckly it is Saturday and Im not of to work.

To add insult to injury I appearently dripped some blood onto my wifes Oscar de la Renta white velour $200.00 bath robe from saks... you can instantly tell how well she took that by how much detail I now know about the darn robe. It is quite amazing how much you retain after hearing the same thing over and over again for 45 min straight.

I tried to read everything I could first, but there is so much, and to be quite frank, I was kinda itchin' to get started once I got my razor. So fellas' where did I go wrong?

Thanks in advance,
Adam Song