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Hello FV,
You've gotten great advice here. As Ryan82 said, there's no shame in switching to your previous technique to finish the difficult spots. It took me 3 months to transition all the way over from disposables.
Good soap does make a big difference. Shaving soap is not the same as other soaps, so unless your soap artisan knows about shaving soaps you might not do much better.
If you've done the fingernail test on your blade, it is no longer shaving sharp. That test is used to see if it's time to move off the 1000-grit (bevel-setting) hone. That's usually the coarsest hone we use. After a blade passes the TNT (Thumbnail Test) a honer gives it a couple more passes on the 1k stone to correct damage from the test and moves on to higher grit.
You might consider doing a coldwater shave. It's as effective as (many, myself included, say more effective than) a hot-towel shave, and much kinder to the skin. Also, the suggestion for witchazel aftershave is a good one. GNC stores carry Thayer's cucumber/aloe, my personal favorite. It's got no alcohol (some Thayers flavors do) so there's no sting there. In addition, I keep it in the fridge, so it goes on cool and nice.
The only time where you want to exert more than a tiny bit of force is in stretching your skin. Stretch it as tight as you can and shave toward your stretch point.
Keep the spine of your blade just a spine width or two above your skin.
Minimize your blade pressure. Once it's properly shaving sharp again, here's how it works: Scrape off the lather and the hair will follow. Scrape off the hair and the burn will follow.
PM me and I'll send you a sample of some very good shaving soap a member here makes.
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Clearly my comments about staying with the straight razor is contrary to other probably better advice. I was lucky in that I didn't need to shave my chin and top lip and bottom lip. Of course do what it takes to remain pain free. My comments were meant to keep you moving in the 'right' direction. For me, it would have been rather disappointing if I'd given up. Is that a real live revolver gun thingy? I can't remember if you said your razor was new or vintage...just curious...
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My advice is this: send your razor to Sham or Lynn for a professional sharpening/honing, and start over again. You'll have a fresh edge to work with and it wouldn't hurt to review the shaving wiki.
As for the revolver, I am very disappointed on not seeing a wisecrack from "Ace". Ace, where the heck are you?? I love his wisecracks.
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I'm here.
Just don't attempt to touch up with the revolver!
