Thread: I can't get close!

I may just be doomed, but it seems I can not get a close shave. I've been using a straight for about 3 weeks, I use a DOVO Black Star 5/8 that I honed myself, and also a DOVO Classic 4/8 that was honed by Lynn. Both seem to perform the same, so I assume my honing is decent.

I am confident in my stropping, as I've practiced the technique with cheap eBay razors and a cheap eBay strop before I got my nice supplies. I use a nice DOVO hanging strop.

For soap, I am using Classic brand Bay Rum from classicshaving.com. I am using a badger brush from The Art of Shaving. I hone on a Norton 4000/8000, and I have lapped it with the Norton flattening stone.

I do not think it is my technique in prepping the blade, but rather my technique shaving. I go once with the grain, once cross grain, and I still have a scratchy face. When I use a Mach 3, I get identical results. The only way I get a truly close shave with the Mach 3 is going against the grain. I have tried that twice with a straight, and got 2 ugly cuts that have barely healed in a week. The closeness however, was perfect, I'd just like to keep the skin intact.

I decided to try straights, because the against the grain mach 3 was horribly uncomfortable, loads of razor burn (I actually used to use an electric for day-to-day shaving, so I could have a nice shave without a red face for special occasions).

Is there anything else I should try? I'm pretty sure its a problem because of how my beard grows, or the way the hair itself is.

Thank you.