Well, I gave it a shot and wound up with a very close shave. Once I got over the initial fear and gained a bit of confidence, all went well.

As this is my first post, I do have a few questions.

1. My Dovo blade has some black discoloration on the front of the blade after one use. What could cause this and can they be removed? I dried the blade immediately after use but did not use a sponge while shaving. (I will next time) My starter blade is a Dovo (tortois)

2. I shave ATG. Is this OK with a straight? I found ATG buffing to work well and was able to get BBS going ATG.

Here are some videos of my first try: I was so excited about the blade, I didnt put much effort into my lather.

Straight Razor Newbie - YouTube

Straight ATG - YouTube