I've been using a straight razor (or, at first, a shavette) more or less every other day now for a couple of months. I knew it was going to take a while, but I honestly expected to progress more quickly than this! I am getting reasonable quality shaves, but, after almost every shave, I'm left with a face that is hot, red and sore for at least the rest of the day. Some parts of my face are worse than others - my upper lip is very sensitive. I only give it one pass (WTG), but, however carefully I shave, I always get some weepers and am left sore.

I figured that if I detail my entire shaving process then some of you guys might have some tips as to how I can make the shave more comfortable. I have already worked hard on getting little or no pressure and getting the angle of the blade right so, even if I'm not getting it right, I know that those aspects are important and will continue to try and improve them.

Firstly I splash my face with water as it comes out of the hot tap until it's too hot for me to handle anymore. At that point I fill my bowl with hot water and soak my brush (Bluebeard's Revenge synthetic) in the hot water. I then soak a flannel in the hot water and press it to my face for about 10 seconds or so.

Then I fill the sink with water as hot as I can stand it and use that water to wash my face. At this point I make up my lather (at the moment using Proraso Sensitive soap). I then soak my face in the hot water again before applying proraso pre-shave. Another soak and then I apply the lather. The last few times I have then massaged the lather in with my fingers before reapplying with the brush.

After all that I shave.

When I've finished shaving (usually a WTG pass followed by partial XTG and ATG passes) I splash my face with cold water before rubbing it vigorously with an alum block. I let the alum sit on my skin for a few minutes before washing it off. I then apply a skin toner and then, sometimes some more of the proraso pre-shave (I've heard it's good post as well). After that I use Nivea after shave balm and apply any shave cut healing gel that's required.

I no longer get very many bad cuts, but there are usually a few weepers, especially, as I've said, on my upper lip.

My razor is a Griffon Cutlery Works razor, which I sent out to the invisibleedge.co.uk to be honed.

I did wonder if perhaps my skin is too sensitive for a straight, but I've had a couple of shaves from a barber and they seem to manage to get it right without my skin being left too sore.

Has anyone got any tips or suggestions?