First Shave with TI 7/8" Wide Blade A Total Success!

I had an excellent first shave today with my recently purchased Thiers Issard Flying Eagle 7/8” Wide Blade, it’s only factory honed; but man does this thing shave right out of the box! I was able to get a closer shave than with my Gillette Fusion in three passes! WTG, XTG and ATG. I stropped the blade 20 times on the cloth and 30 times on the leather.

My wife and I were shocked with the results. She showed a lot of interest in my new found way of shaving and watched me like a hawk! I used both hands and was better at shaving with my non-dominate hand for some reason. I returned (TAOS) my first SR last week because it was not shave ready, I tried to shave with it and it just pulled all to hell. I can tell you that after today, my technique has made all the difference, angle, angle, angle and a light touch is paramount. Confidence comes into play as well, you really have to trust the blade and what you are doing.

Learning Moments:
It’s amazing the results you get by using light pressure, the razor just glides through the hairs; you don't realize how much pressure is being applied at times.
I noticed I was not holding the SR correctly at times and had to readjust.
Dexterity is definitely needed to become really good at using a SR.
I started in awkward positions from time to time, need to improve on my starting and finishing points; online videos will help.
Using a SR is an extremely rewarding experience, I wish I'd started sooner. I look forward to shaving, it's no longer a chore!
Most important, technique cannot be underestimated; it is extremely vital and the key to a successful experience.

I am going to send the razor off for professional honing this week; I think it's important to start with a honed blade to fully understand how it feels to shave with one.