Is a straight razor the answer?

brimstone said:

But I'm a little confused about the above statement. Isn't BBS the goal that we are all pursuing here?

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It is not my objective.

I just want to have a relaxing shave that is comfortable.

brimstone said:

Isn't BBS the goal that we are all pursuing here?

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No. I want a pleasurable and comfortable shave with no irritation that both looks and feels good when it's done.
With a properly honed straight, good prep and practiced technique this is achievable every time.
I too have a very heavy dark beard but easily get DFS with every straight, DE, SE and injector in my collection.
I only expect BBS when shaving with my R41 and OCMM but otherwise it's just a nice occasional bonus when the planets are aligned right.

To chase BBS for its own sake is to waste time and effort that is much better spent in really enjoying your shave and its results.

That's interesting. I certainly pictured some sort of Buddhist monk thing here, where when you hit a certain zen state you got a BBS shave every time. But you're right, this does seen like a healthier way of approaching this hobby.

I think we all pretty much focus on the journey, if you're looking for zen mumbo jumbo. This doesn't mean that BBS isn't on the road, or doesn't appear as an oasis now and again along the way, but to push for BBS with a naked razor blade and no safety bar is an invitation for irritation, not a comfortable shave.

With time, practice, and skills (lather, shaving, stropping, etc.), BBS will come, perhaps even every day.

My two cents. Discount as appropriate.

If you concentrate on technique and give it some time, you'll find yourself getting plenty of BBS shaves.

Welcome to B&B brimstone!

Welcome to B&B! I don't have anything to add concerning heavy beards and straights. I use both DE and straights. Unfortunately, my beard is coarse but not heavy.

What I can say is that it appears your problems are technique related, not hardware/software related. If that's true, changing hardware won't fix the issue. It's kinda like trying to fix a car that won't start because it's out of gas by changing a tire.

Others have talked about technique. Follow their advice, especially concerning pressure and blade angle, until the tool, a DE for now, results in an irritation free shave, even if it's not as close as you want. When that happens, then seek out changing the tool to something that will give you a closer shave, like a slant DE or a straight.