tough call with all the possible factors. trusted honemeister or dealer? prep not sufficient? improper angle?
a nicely honed and stropped razor can feel like crap if the prep isn't done sufficiently, trust me, I know firsthand. I had rushed my prep one day and just about brought tears to my eyes on the first pass wtg. stopped myself, took a breather and prepped well and the same razor had a beautiful glide right though the stubble as if it weren't even there. good prep is a must! improper angle also is a huge factor. its deceiving starting out, it may look fine to you when its not. aim for one to two spine thicknesses between the spine and your face to start. steeper than that and you are scraping the hairs, not shearing them. above all, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED! read as much as possible, watch as many videos as possible, let the face heal!