Quote Originally Posted by mgoffin View Post
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

It's never been to a professional to get honed. I can say that it does tug and skip. I chalked that up to being a newcomer and not getting my angle right, not keeping me skin as tight as I could, or not lathering enough (I re-lather a lot because it's taking me so long and the lather dries up).

I can definitely add a cross-grain pass to my routine. I've done it in the past with my safety razor but my beard grows in such crazy directions that even a small patch winds up being both across and against the grain on the same pass.

I'll definitely look into cold water shaving. Never tried it and I guess it can't hurt!
If it's tugging and skipping, you'll be better off not using it until it's properly honed. A dull razor is hard to work with, and will cut you faster than a sharp one.