I could not help myself, I Got a shave ready razor from the forums here in the mail yesterday. I was going to wait till I had all the goodies I do not have a strop or brush but I could not wait. The razor was indeed shave ready. I used moisturizing soap and actually got a light lather. I was just going to do the cheeks to try it out but had to keep going. The cheeks got wtg and atg. WOW! why did i not start SR 20 yrs ago. I have a goatee so i did not have to do some of the difficult areas. The neck went well on the right side but the left was harder as the hair grows left to right on my neck so a normal north south pass is actually xtg. This is where my only blood letting came from a ½" long razor thin line. I knew it just before it happened I was trying to force the situation. And I knew better from all the reading of these forums. All in All I loved it and can't wait to actually do it properly. I was never any good waiting to use a new toy. Sadly I have to wait till I can get a strop to play some more.