Jeff is bang on here Seth, which answers your first question, I use a $10 Gotta I found in a secondhand tool store and it beats all my other razors hands down, hanging hair test no worries. As for the second question, a bit of patience and willingness to work out what you did wrong if it doesn't shave well and you'll get there. A technique that works for one person wont always work for another. Youtube it like a son of a gun to check the different ways of honing and stroping and mash your own style out of it Grasshopper:)