Thank you everyone for the help. I will try again tonight paying better attention to the details.

Hey Shooter, So on the 2nd hot towel I would just put the towel on top of my already lathered face?

I do not have a strop yet. It is my next purchase, they are not cheap either. How many shaves can I get from the new SRD razor before needing to strop. I want to keep this blade pristine so I can use it as a bench mark for honing.

So do I understand correctly that some noise is normal even with proper technique and a super sharp blade? (like buttering toast) or with good technique is it possible to shave with no sound at all?
Thanks again everyone, it is very much appreciated.