Originally Posted by
ScoutHikerDad
One other thing I have found that makes all the difference for me with a straight: the lather. I have started shaves before with freshly-honed and stropped blades that I knew were laser-sharp, and got horrible tugging even on my 1st WTG pass-WTH? Just as an experiment, I rinsed off, re-worked the soap and hydrated my lather a little more, and bingo, the velvet squeegee effect with the same blade I knew I had nailed the edge on. It really is the little things, and every straight I have shaves a little differently, likes a slightly different stroke or angle, whatever. I'll never be one of these guys who takes copious notes on honing and shaving, accounting for variables, etc. So I sometimes forget and have to relearn these concepts. :p