Thread: What am I doing wrong?

I can't say for sure, but if I were you I would send that razor out to a competent honemeister and get it re-honed. You have done a lot of work on that edge and it is possible that you have damaged it beyond the ability for strops and pastes to recover it.

Also, there is a break in period for your facial skin that is not about your razor or shaving technique. It is about your skin toughening up for the type of shaving your are now doing.

I think there is a propensity at the beginning to blame the razor, blame the lather, blame the technique - and then change all of them every day. Truth is it could be one, all or none of those. Work on one area, such as skin prep or lather building and get that right.

Like it or not, this is a system. All of the aspects work in harmony with one another. They WILL come together over time. Be patient and have fun learning.

I too started shaving with a disposable blade str8 razor. It took me about 20-30 shaves before I really stopped getting razor burn. Over time, I learned how to prep my face, make my lather, how to hold the blade, how much pressure to use, etc. I have now begun the transition of using a standard Str8 razor. Take your time, and don't give up, you'll get the hang of it with practice. Also, like others have said, don't try to change everything all at once, you're just sabotaging your shave if you try to change too much all at once. Good Luck.
Andrew