i know its me and not the blade

so another shaving day for me and i'm a little frustrated that i can't get an area smooth without going over it way to many times. I didn't even finish a sideburn and took out my DE and did my whole face. Had a great shave but still upset I can't use the straight edge. So i'm doubting the edge of my blade and decided to start trying other parts of my body to see if i could get them smooth. Started shaving little areas on my arm and was easily able to get an area smooth.Now i know It's me. I really want to be able to use a straight edge, seems like something to awesome not to know how to do. So the next time my friends are talking about "hey you tried that new razor with 10 blades on it" i can say no my single blade puts that to shame.

Angle, stretching, and prep. :) Just remember theres a steep learning curve and be patient. It'll all come in time...keep us posted.

I'm going through exactly the same process at the moment.

I am now comfortable with the mechnics of the shave, but getting close enough is proving to be hard work. Progress is slow, but it's still progress.

For example, my first shaves with an open razor took AAAAGES, but the last 2 mornings I have managed a shave with 2 passes WTG before work. A few weeks a go I couldn't imagine being able to straight shave quick enough to shave before work

Patience is the key, and if I find myself getting frustated, I put the straight away for a while and go back to the DE.

Ian

My first two or three shaves were jokes with little whisker removal, plenty of blood, and razor burn to boot. At five shaves, I felt I could do it, and at 20 shaves I was getting more confident and quicker at it. It just takes time because there is so much to learn and to become proficient at.

To get a good straight shave you have to:

Be confident and practiced holding the razor.
Your prep has to be adequate, if not better.
Your blade must be shave ready.
You must "know your face" and where your whiskers grow.

And, if you get all that right, it is still an athletic, fine motor
skills intense endeavor, and, for every second of it, you are
skating a razor sharp instrument along your skin.

If it was something you would later be able to astonish your friends
with and brag about, could it really be easy? That's what makes it
so cool. If you do your due diligence, continue learning about it and
practicing it for a month, you'll have it. Then you'll be the one
confidently reminding newbies not to use pressure, stretch the skin,
and to be careful about their angle.

Nice to share your experience. Starting out, we all have stories to tell about moving up the experience curve. Once I hit my stride straight shaving, I would look back and think that the whole process of learning was fun and adventureous. That appeals to me, but not everyone.

Keep up the effort and confidence, you will get there. It is all in the technique and face prep and there is no substitute for experience.

Pabster

As I've said to many, things WILL improve. I've been straight shaving for about two months now, and I've seen amazing improvements over where I was when I started. I've got the cheeks down to a science, almost mastered the neck, but it's the moustache and chin areas that still give me fits. Just take your time, enjoy, and visit SRP often for lots of sage advice