Ok, so Im realizing how important the pre-shave is especially with a straight razor. When I was using my DE, just a good lather was all that was really necessary to get a good shave. But not so much anymore now that I've switched over to the straight.

I always shave straight out of the shower. Last shave I had, I tried getting a good lather and doing a hot towel on my face then putting down some more soap but I still had problems with the soap drying and causing the blade to not move smoothly.

Right now Im using a Dovo Shavette and a synthetic bristled brush. Im about to step up to a true straight razor as soon as it gets here, and I guess I will probably end up having to go on to a real badger bristled brush.

But can anyone suggest some tips and tricks to getting a better shave through adjusting my preshave? What are some other things I can try to get my face prepped better?