I just got my 2nd SR, a Dovo Flowing 6/8 from SRD after following the advice of a forum member to have a 2nd shave ready razor for a reference. I'm about 3 weeks in to straight razor shaving with a Dovo Ebony Silver Steel and am happy so far with my shaves. After the first week my face was really getting irritated and I decided to refresh my razor with a C12K and then CrOx on the linen. My shaves got better and I've been pretty happy with the shaves the last two weeks, no razor burn anymore and hardly any irritation. I shaved with the Dovo Flowing last night and comparing it to my Ebony Silver Steel I did a pretty good job on the refresh! I can't tell the difference really so I'm happy I can at least refresh the blade myself.

One question though, on either side of my mustache above the corners of my mouth and just below my lower lip in the center I have noticed after I shave that there are finer blond or white whiskers that the razor is just not cutting. Anyone else experience this or is it just me? It cuts through the darker, thicker whiskers just fine. The new Dovo Flowing didn't cut them either so I know it wasn't my first razor that was dull. Now I'm still new and I don't do a 3 pass. I just do WTG and then on the 2nd pass I do XTG on the cheeks and do the best I can at XTG on the chin and mustache area. I'm not ready to do ATG and probably never will because I'm quite satisfied with the results I get now with just a 2 pass, minus the little white whiskers that are left. I'm guessing that they are not thick enough and the razor is gliding over them going WTG. I try to go XTG but not very comfortable with that yet because that's where the whiskers are heaviest. So I keep trying different angles, everything but ATG and it just doesn't seem to get them all and that's where I get the irritation. I have been trying not to use my old cartridge at all, even for touchups because I feel I'll learn faster if I don't use it as a crutch. I may have to resort to cleaning up these areas with it though. My prep is good and my lather has gotten a lot better and I cold water shave. Any ideas?