Thanks for all the feedback! I only need to shave every 2 or 3 days, so tomorrow I will embark on my second shave. I guess in the beginning I should stick with Tabac when I use my straight, to keep that particular variable consistent from one shave to the next. Though I have to admit, I love the AOS sandalwood cream I have, and I think I can build a pretty mean lather with it. The Nancy Boy cream that I just got is also coaxing me, though admittedly I had some trouble with it drying too quickly despite the fact that I thought I'd used enough water. Anyway, I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

Also, I used that MWF soap bar when I showered today, and all I can say is that tallow-based soaps are fantastic. It lathered up extremely well and was so rich, I was absolutely amazed; I probably could use it for shaving if I wanted to. One of these days I'll buy the actual MWF shaving soap, and I'll be curious as to how it performs.