Trouble with my mustache area?

Well I can't seem to get a good shave of my upper lip or mustache area. Going down or WTG its fine no problems but doesn't give me a close shave at all and still see plenty of hairs. If I go ATG or XTG it gives a lot of irritation but almost a different type of irritation. Its almost like the razor tugs and pulls and I start bleeding from it. Its not really a nicking feeling but instead it tugs pulls and then I start bleeding where the hair still is or was.

I'm a 19 year old white Scandinavian male if that helps at all. I'm using a Merkur 33c or Merkur 1902 with either an Astra SP blade or Gillette Bleue blade with a Pro 49 brush. I use Proraso shaving cream for the most part.

This is a tough area for most people, myself included at one time. It's in an awkward area under your nose and the hairs there are probably the toughest on your face. I presume you already know how to make a good lather and you adequately prep your beard before you start shaving.

Firstly, make sure your blade is sharp. Second, stretch and tighten the area by rolling your top lip over your teeth. When shaving use quicker, deliberate strokes, which will be better than slower strokes as you are less likely to "catch" on some tough hairs. However, be mindful of pressure and don't press too hard and you'll end up cutting yourself. Try not to have BBS as your objective right away and in time things should improve.

sometimes a different blade will help. super iridiums are working pretty good for me.

Hairs catching like that suggests your prep and lather might need some more work.

I'd be inclined to agree with DE Shaver and GWYM. Tugging is a sign of a dull blade, but it doesn't seem to the whole story here.

The hair might be tough, but aside from the cheeks, it's probably the easiest spot to get a nice, consistent blade angle because it can be made so flat. What is your prep routine?

I think for most people that the upper lip is an area where the growth direction is North->South. I shave this area in 2 passes, WTG, and then ATG, and then leave it alone. The 2 most critical details for me were to keep the razor head on the skin for the entire stroke, moving in about 1/8" increments. If you lift the razor off your skin, then the whiskers lay back down. The other detail is that it is easy to make the pass with your razor at odd angles because of the face items in the way. Keep the end of your razor handle as high as possible. If it's too high, it smears the lather. I think most tugging is from keeping the handle too low which drags the edge of the blade over the whisker (although it can cut it) rather than cutting cleanly through the whisker. For me, this was the area where I caused the most nicks and weepers. Paying attention to the blade angle solved most of my problems.

Try WTG, E-W and W-E and see what you get, I don't go ATG on the upper lip.