Hello All,
Not one ever to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I have completed Shave Four of my Straight Razor career - without incident. So, the purpose of this post is to ask whether my beginners luck is just that, or is the worst yet to come.

Before commenting, here are some background details:
To give you a feel for my beard, I can last approximately two days without shaving if necessary; never a five o'clock shadow. For business appearances however, I would shave every day.

During my pre-straight razor days, I always followed a solid pre-shave regiment: hot towels, pre-shave. After shaving, hot and cold towels, astringent and shave balm. The only difference now is my use of a better shave soap and a brush. It should be noted (I think) that I have always diligently cared for my face: scrubs, creams, astringents, little sun, and a desk job minimizing environmental issues related to the skin.

Now, after stropping, I can shave with and against the grain with no issues. My only problem is the chin and jaw line that require a safety razor pass as I have yet to find harmony in these areas with the straight razor. I had minor burn after my first shave, none since. No ingrown hairs, no blood during the shave. My shaves are like none I have ever experienced - close, smooth and very satisfying.

The only thing that comes to mind is the time I now spend shaving - from strop to final wash is about twenty minutes - give or take. Previous to this, I was shaved, showered and perfumed in fifteen minutes.

So, those are the clues. Should I call for transfusions for future shaves? Am I on a solid path to straight razor nirvana? Is the worst yet to come?
Thanks for your thoughts.

Andy