[De Layne]

Hi Lee,
So, the razor just sorta showed up at the house eh? Luckily, you had some capable assistance when figuring out the intricacies.......heh. A year and a half ago I never figured to be using a DE razor (instead of a M3), but things are different now. Maybe I can offer a few thoughts about what to expect with one of those things.
You know, I don't believe you'll need any face stretching, or not the kind you're used to. I don't think you'll need your other hand to help, but instead can just use the normal comical facial gyrations instead. That's usually plenty when it comes to stretching the skin, and I think the razor's rounded head makes it much more forgiving than a straight.
Fifteen minutes is about the time needed for an experienced DE shaver, so you were on target there. Of course, if you only do two passes, that's a kinda long time, but 15 minutes is about right for a 3-4 pass shave ( plus touch up). Hehe, you went against the grain for part of your first DE shave eh? Very impressive, since that's new (and possibly bloody) territory. Glad that worked out well.
Most straight users already have a huge advantage over people new to wet shaving. Y'all understand how important the right prep can be to your shave. You know what good lather should feel and look like, and can tell if it's not 'right'. You already have a good reference point, in other words. Plus I'd think most successful straight shavers understand very well about pressure, whisker reduction, and paying attention to details without being rushed. Those are totally foreign things to most new shavers.
Oh.....if you felt like you shoulda gotten a better and closer shave than you did, that's exactly right! You CAN get a great shave from a DE, but not the first time(s). Nope, you gotta pay some dues if you want a BBS shave. I'm amazed though, when I read posts like yours Lee, and how easy it was for you as a first time DE user. Other members have posted similar experiences, and it's really impressive to me. You wanna read something sad.......check out the new DE shavers posts in other forums, and see what they go through. Yeah, luckily they're highly motivated..heh.
Anyway Lee, don't expect much more than what you're getting now, as far as shave quality. It may get a little better 3-4 shaves down the road, but don't look for a BBS finish. It's tough building up enough muscle memory by using it infrequently. You DO have a huge advantage when it comes to wet shaving, but you still have to learn the technique for a totally different shaving tool. They can be great shavers, but you need to spend some time with em before that happens.
Oh, not to put you off the DE, but............blades can make a BIG difference in your shave quality. There's some out there I can't use, even though my technique is good. I can be using my favorite razor, and get a crappy and painful shave with certain blades. Hard to believe maybe, but very true. In addition to having no technique yet, you may be using a blade that's wrong for your face, or a razor with the same problem. Once again, it's just a question of having no reference point, and that takes experience to truly fix. Yeah, you gotta try em and see what works! Gotta try a bunch of razors and blades......refining things with your shaving habits as you go. Sounds like a PITA doesn't it? Well.....it is, but made much easier because of the motivation. Lee, without spending time and fine tuning your DE shave, it's never gonna be the experience it can be. However, it can still easily be a fun change of pace. I may be wrong on that, but it's how I see things.
Hope that helps in some way,
Martin