Thread: 4th shave and have some questions

Of course everyone's beard is different, but I went for a couple of weeks when I started without a strop at all, though I did strop once during that time on newspaper. Of course your blade may be dulled from your beard, or from poor stropping (rolling the edge). I strop 30/70 (canvas/leather) before each shave while the lather softens my beard.

In regards to the LH side of your face, are you using two hands? I'd highly recommend trying it if you're not already (i.e. right hand for right side of face, left hand for left side of face. Have you checked out at what angle the hair grows (mapping your face)? It may be the hair on the left side grows at a different angle that the other and needs therefore a different stroke of the blade. IME the neck is always hard, esp if the hair grows EW rather than NS. If I wanted to get REALLY smooth on the neck I think I'd resort to a DE for that; but normally it's not an issue for everyday life.

IME Proraso is a good soap, but making an Überlather will make it even better.

Check out your angle too, 30 degrees is pretty much optimal.

Being a perfectionist is something I can relate to, and you're in luck, straight razor shaving very much fosters that mind set! However, four shaves is really, for this art (and it is an art), very early. Give it a hundred shaves. After a hundred shaves I was very comfortable shaving with a straight. I still need to learn how to hone. I can keep my blades sharp, but I wouldn't sell a razor as 'professionally sharpened' or even 'shave ready' by any means. Each of the razors I've received have had a better edge than I can get on them, though I am getting pretty close; though not consistently so.