When you have mastered the straight you will be getting a shave that will feel better than the DE. The comfort you found with a DE with a safety bar. Compared to an open blade is hard to imagine. But handling the straight properly and controlling the blade yourself you can get a smoother feel. Its not the same as a blade forward DE. Congrats and keep it up. In a few months you will look back and think you really didnt know much now days but are happy you kept going.