Shave 1. complete

Managed to shave almost all of my face with a straight razor today with no nicks or cuts. (I say almost because I'm sure I left a few patches around the chin not really shaven). It was certainly far from a particularly close shave, but I definitely managed to take off some beard. For now I'll probably relegate using the straight to once or twice on weekends, because I can't usually take this much time to shave before work.

Still need major work to get the chin area easily without tugging, but it wasn't nearly as scary as I had anticipated. And even with the tugging I ended up with almost zero skin irritation, which I was shocked at given how sensitive/dry my chin area tends to be. I'd used a CJB Kamisori + dorco blades several times before this, but despite being wicked sharp I found it nearly impossible to develop chin technique. The straight, while substantially less effective on one pass, actually manged to let me get all the areas I could not previously, aside from those pesky right under the nose hairs. People aren't kidding when they say straights are easier to learn on than shavettes!

Of course, I'm still doing the second pass with a DE for now, because I like to actually look shaven

Congrats. The first one is always the most nerve racking. Let the learning curve begin.

Keep with it, it gets better. I was able to do a 3-pass shave today pre-work; although I don't like to rush it can be done.

Welcome to B&B billobob: There are a couple of youtube videos that helped me with my SR technique. Search for the three pass ten minute straight razor shave. There is one video with a young guy and another with an older gentleman playing classical music during his three pass shave. They complete the three pass shave and make it look so easy.

Well done. Many of my early SR shaves left some patches that I only noticed once I got into work.

This weekend I had a run with the el cheapo shave ready gold dollar. I have to say, it is getting much easier (although I think the heavier blade is also easier for noobs like myself). WTG with the GD certainly isn't the 1-pass DFS yet I get with DE/SEs, but it did an admirable job of beard reduction. ATG cleanup with my medium aggressive Timor OC produced a great overall shave, and shockingly almost no feedback from the alum block. One tiny nick, of course in an area I went too quickly on because I rarely get a cut there. First shave where I easily reached all areas in a reasonable amount of time, save for the tippy top of my nose.

Again, it's shocking how much easier straights are than the Feather AC system was for me. I think the combination of the sharp blades, and that the Kami style was simply not intuitive for me, made it much more intimidating. I'd like to revisit the AC using a folding version in the future. But at least it put the fear of God in me, because I have yet to get a weeper as I periodically would with the AC blades.

Where or by whom was your GD honed? Was it honed by a pro after you got it or did you buy it from a honemeister?