As a n00b coming into this i don`t know if i just had realistic expectations, or if i`m just good.

I`m currently wrighting an essay on the diffrence between shaving with a straight and modern shaving with a cartridge.

The one advantage of a cartridge razor is the fact that they are so easy to use, you can rub them back and forth over your face without a single nick, and with as much or as little pressure as you want.
this is the main reason i believe that cartridge razors have become so popular.
To be able to scrape your face for 2 minuites with a mock 3 while your still asleep before work in the morning rather than the extensive prep and care needed with a straight shave is an appeal i can understand.

I wonder then if people turn to straight shaving because it is "cool" I wonder if one of the reasons people are struggling to come to terms with straight shaving is the reasons they turn to it.
My reasons for trying straight shaving are many, the simple logic of 1 blade rather than 3 should mean a third less shaving rash but also maybe i like the idea of learning a skill that EVERY man had 100 years ago but now a very few have.
I hope i offend nobody when i say this, but are the people who are giving up after a week getting into this for any reeason other than the "image" they percieve a straight razor to have wether it be cool, or dangerous.
And when they then struggle with it do they give it up?

Or do they think that BBS is what every one should aim for every day?
Because i don`t, i aim for a good close shave, BBS for me takes a lot of work. and it just isn`t worth it.
I admit that i have a lot to learn still and i bet that even in 40 years i`ll still be learning. but it is my face and i get a good shave that is close and comfortable, and i`m happy with it.
Why Aim for BBS?
maybe tomorrow i`ll discover some super technique that will allow me to get BBS all over my face in 2 passes. It currently takes me 4 passes to get BBS with some fine touch ups after. I`ll happily do that on my wedding day or job interviews, but not everyday.
I`m aware i`m a newbie, and my technique needs some work, i don`t expect the next razor i buy to give me better shaves. but i plan to see what works for my face. i will try several different pattern blades in diffrent sizes and see what i like. but thats the fun thing thats what makes this a hobby rather than a chore for me. I get to learn and try new things.
Maybe the newbies arent thinking of it like that, maybe they are just looking at a new tool to do there chore for them and hoping it would be easier or better.

But it has been my experience over the past 2 months or so that straight shaving is a skill that needs to be learned, and that throwing money at it gets you prettier things, but not necessarily better.
When starting to shave with a straight you need to understand that this is one of the most personal things you can do, its your hands holding your razor next to your face. if you don`t feel comfortable or don`t get the result you want with one teqnique try some thing else. there is no one way to shave. there are infinite variables in your skin and hair make up that could mean that one prep technique is better than another, the same with razor angle.
When a newbie asks about why his shave feels rough and we know his razor is sharp, tell him to play around with it, find what works for him. Don`t regurgitate the "your razor should be at 30 degrees" and such like.
Experimentation is what worked for me and i`m quite happy with my results at the moment or maybe i have my bar set much lower than all you guys,

sorry for the rant......