Shaving skill

I've been wet shaving almost a year and have come to realize the importance of skill development.  I'll tell my story and hope to hear comments and other folks stories.  . . . Of course, skill development won't allow everyone to do this as our bodies are all different, though I hope this will be an interesting thread.

Yes, very interesting. Bottom line, I think it's a combination of developing skills with more or less challenging equipment (depending on "our bodies" and personal preferences), combined with time, as Sourav argues:

I've been wet shaving almost a year

I think your skill just improved with time.  . . . the improvement of your skill may have more to do with practice and time than with R41, straights etc.

After six years of pursuing shave nirvana, I can certainly say that my skills are better now than they were two years ago, when I was four years in. If you remain focused on improving your technique, it will improve with time, even if you only use one razor. The human brain is amazing that way. Although logic tells us that there must be a ceiling, if you act as if there isn't a ceiling you somehow manage to inch closer to the ceiling than if you just threw up your hands.

But equipment is a factor, too. Having taken up straight shaving within the past year, I can confirm it's a great way to improve your skills with any razor. Still, it's not for everybody. You've got to be motivated enough to have the patience to get through those first 60 - 100 shaves. I tried a Parker half-DE shavette five years ago and chucked it after one shave. I just wasn't in the right frame of mind. Last year, I was. Go figure.

I guess where I'm coming down is this: to get better shaves over time, you've got to challenge yourself enough to keep it interesting, but not so much that you get discouraged. The sweet spot is different for everyone. But finding that sweet spot is what I call shave nirvana.

...I guess where I'm coming down is this: to get better shaves over time, you've got to challenge yourself enough to keep it interesting, but not so much that you get discouraged. The sweet spot is different for everyone. But finding that sweet spot is what I call shave nirvana.

Dude...this brought a tear to my eye!

OK, not really, but in all seriousness, that is a fantastic way to describe it. It is why I choose to consider myself perpetually learning how to hone and shave with a straight. Every stroke is new, which means every stroke is a chance to improve technique...and my technique can always be improved...

...I guess where I'm coming down is this: to get better shaves over time, you've got to challenge yourself enough to keep it interesting, but not so much that you get discouraged. The sweet spot is different for everyone. But finding that sweet spot is what I call shave nirvana.

Dude...this brought a tear to my eye!

Aw, shucks!

I started with fairly aggressive (DE) razors. I think everyone should. When mistakes hurt you, you quickly learn not to make mistakes.

I started with fairly aggressive (DE) razors.  I think everyone should.  When mistakes hurt you, you quickly learn not to make mistakes.

Or you just bleed a lot.

As the old song goes..."If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough"...