After 3 months into DE shaving, I have learned several things that I decided to post and share in the hope that y'all may learn from my mistakes. 
1. Technique, technique, technique - this trumps just about everything else. For the past 3 months, whenever I have had a problem, at least 90% of the time it was technique related and 80% of the time when I was pretty sure it wasn't my technique. There's a poster online with something like this in his signature. I find this to be compete truth.
2. Start out with a good razor/blade/brush/cream and be patient. It's incredibly tempting to play with stuff, and I do it, but I get the best results from paying closer attention to what I am doing with what I have rather than looking for the "next best thing." Having said that, this is also a hobby and collecting new soaps/creams to try, new scents, and trying out new razors is fun. I say this with several soap samplers from Mike's on order, some Dr. Harris and TOBS samplers, and a 2013 Muhle R41 toothcomb. And a Muhle silvertip fiber brush, but I knew that was where I was going to end up after my Ecotools. If you are looking for recommendations, I'd get an Edwin Jagger de89 model/Muhle R89 (same head, different handles - I went with the Muhle and love the handle aesthetics), Astra blades, RazoRock soft soap or Mike's Natural Soaps, an Ecotools kabuki brush (makeup brush that feels really soft) or as others have recommended a Whipped Dog silvertip or an Omega Badger & Blade boar starter brush at Westcoastshaving.com.
3. Watch some videos on lathering, read the lathering sticky, and check out Marco's Method if interested. A good lather makes a big difference, and I am still learning how to do this.
4. Proper blade angle with as little pressure as possible to keep the razor touching your skin. There's a sticky with photos, but another way to do this is to start with the handle parallel to the floor and gradually lower the handle end until you hear it cutting whiskers (turn the fan off). Pressure = razor burn/cuts/nicks/et cetera. Remember that each pass is beard reduction, not elimination.
5. If you get to a problem area, try a different technique NOT more pressure. Approach from a different angle, even angle the blade SLIGHTLY or draw in a SLIGHTLY different angle than straight (look up the Gillette Slide - Mantic has a video). Try facial contortions. Try shaving across the grain instead of with the grain. Under your nose, try GENTLY outside inwards with north to south at the bottom edges; 2nd pass go outside in. MAYBE a teeny bit of no pressure across/against the grain. On your chin, try puffing out lke a bullfrog, or sucking in your upper lip as high as you can get it and then reverse it for another pass. But pressure = problems.
6. Patience. I hate this one, but it's true - with experience it gets easier and faster.
Things that I have learned here that make a difference - going for comfort first then closeness, being patient, lathering methods, razor and blade selection, the modified 4 pass method (I go north to south, ear to chin, and then if I do a 3rd pass nose back to angle of jaw rather than pure WTG/XTG) and the different wonderful creams and soaps and scents.
Things that I plan to try - a bit of preshave oil, a Muhle 2103 R41, Polsilver Iridium and Voshkod blades, and maybe a Cadet open comb. Obviously, I do a terrible job of following my own advice, but as long as it's fun and I get at least a decent shave, it's worth it to me.
One last caveat - I speak as someone with very limited experience and also who dabbles in too many variables (razors, creams, et cetera). Take my advice with a grain of salt. Or a barrelful!
1. Technique, technique, technique - this trumps just about everything else. For the past 3 months, whenever I have had a problem, at least 90% of the time it was technique related and 80% of the time when I was pretty sure it wasn't my technique. There's a poster online with something like this in his signature. I find this to be compete truth.
2. Start out with a good razor/blade/brush/cream and be patient. It's incredibly tempting to play with stuff, and I do it, but I get the best results from paying closer attention to what I am doing with what I have rather than looking for the "next best thing." Having said that, this is also a hobby and collecting new soaps/creams to try, new scents, and trying out new razors is fun. I say this with several soap samplers from Mike's on order, some Dr. Harris and TOBS samplers, and a 2013 Muhle R41 toothcomb. And a Muhle silvertip fiber brush, but I knew that was where I was going to end up after my Ecotools. If you are looking for recommendations, I'd get an Edwin Jagger de89 model/Muhle R89 (same head, different handles - I went with the Muhle and love the handle aesthetics), Astra blades, RazoRock soft soap or Mike's Natural Soaps, an Ecotools kabuki brush (makeup brush that feels really soft) or as others have recommended a Whipped Dog silvertip or an Omega Badger & Blade boar starter brush at Westcoastshaving.com.
3. Watch some videos on lathering, read the lathering sticky, and check out Marco's Method if interested. A good lather makes a big difference, and I am still learning how to do this.
4. Proper blade angle with as little pressure as possible to keep the razor touching your skin. There's a sticky with photos, but another way to do this is to start with the handle parallel to the floor and gradually lower the handle end until you hear it cutting whiskers (turn the fan off). Pressure = razor burn/cuts/nicks/et cetera. Remember that each pass is beard reduction, not elimination.
5. If you get to a problem area, try a different technique NOT more pressure. Approach from a different angle, even angle the blade SLIGHTLY or draw in a SLIGHTLY different angle than straight (look up the Gillette Slide - Mantic has a video). Try facial contortions. Try shaving across the grain instead of with the grain. Under your nose, try GENTLY outside inwards with north to south at the bottom edges; 2nd pass go outside in. MAYBE a teeny bit of no pressure across/against the grain. On your chin, try puffing out lke a bullfrog, or sucking in your upper lip as high as you can get it and then reverse it for another pass. But pressure = problems.
6. Patience. I hate this one, but it's true - with experience it gets easier and faster.
Things that I have learned here that make a difference - going for comfort first then closeness, being patient, lathering methods, razor and blade selection, the modified 4 pass method (I go north to south, ear to chin, and then if I do a 3rd pass nose back to angle of jaw rather than pure WTG/XTG) and the different wonderful creams and soaps and scents.
Things that I plan to try - a bit of preshave oil, a Muhle 2103 R41, Polsilver Iridium and Voshkod blades, and maybe a Cadet open comb. Obviously, I do a terrible job of following my own advice, but as long as it's fun and I get at least a decent shave, it's worth it to me.
One last caveat - I speak as someone with very limited experience and also who dabbles in too many variables (razors, creams, et cetera). Take my advice with a grain of salt. Or a barrelful!
