Alrighty! I received my restored "CU Day" razor in the mail from whippeddog.com today, (FREAKING SHARP!) and tried straight razoring for the very first time. (at age 48!)

I have chops (long sideburns) right now, so I needed to trim a week's growth from my upper cheeks, chin, the areas around my mouth, as well as my entire neck.

I used a hot washcloth on my chin, smeared on some cream, and tried it out. With Larry (whipped-dog) and others' advice, I laid the blade flattish and tried a few beard-shortening strokes. Kinda worked. Then I enbravened a little and angled the blade a bit more. Hmmm...not bad. I stopped without shaving the knob of my chin - too chicken to try that yet.

Then prepped and creamed upper cheeks. Totally sweet. Then I went for the smoother part of the moustache area. A little more delicate, but I had success there as well. I did NOT go for the center groove between nose and upper lip (philtrim).

I also bailed on the whole neck, which seems like a place where a quick mistake could literally kill me. I finished up with my (hopefully last ever) disposable razor.

Questions:
How DO you shave the philtrim (center groove between nose and upper lip)? Just press harder to flatten it?
How about the neck? Downward first, I assume?

Anyway - I like it.