re: Just ordered my first DE shaving kit. Advice and tips are appreciated.

No. You can get a closer shave with de than cartridge.

The performance is like this:
Worst- can cream with cartridge
2- can cream with de
3- lather with cartridge
Best- lather with de

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Whats the point if its not as good as my fusion?

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Blades are much cheaper. The most expensive DE blade is around 25-30 cents. Most are in the 8-13 cent range. Fusion cartridges are well over a dollar each, and they only last me about as long as a DE blade. With a thick beard, they don't clog up as fast (big problem for me). That's why I switched. I do, now, get my face about as smooth as I ever did with a Fusion but without spending as much. For a while, my face was always a little disappointingly rough.

I almost quit because one particular razor was a little sharper and more aggressive than I was ready for. My face was sore for the first week or so. After sticking with it, it's way cheaper and especially faster for me, since I like to let my facial hair grow for a few days before shaving.

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Find the buttress and you should be good to go.

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If you don't post-form-gloss you may as well shave with a soup can lid.

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Find the buttress and you should be good to go.

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Don't frick up and use second form when you should be using third. Just don't do it.

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It won't be as close as a Mach 3 or Fusion shave.

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Respectfully, Doc, this is hogwash. I've had the closest shaves - by far - with a DE safety blade. I would wager that most beards have a combination of comb, blade and technique that will outperform one of the plastic and steel monstrosities you have to take out a loan to buy.

Almost all men perceive their beards as coarse, with sensitive skin. I probably have a slightly coarse beard and slightly sensitive skin. My beard does grow quickly - my children joke that I have 5 O'Clock shadow at noon (at least during my cartridge shaving days).

If I do a full bore, 3-pass shave on a Sunday evening, I look at least presentable through mid-day on Tuesday. I would start to look scruffy well before the end of Monday with a Fusion.

EVEN if you still like your Fusion, you should at least try the DE method with brush, bowl and a high quality shaving cream. I was a Fusion/Edge guy for about 20 years. I wouldn't go back to the overpriced cartridge and burning chemical "soap" method again if you paid me.

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Watch this video this is the only correct way to DE shave... You'll thank me later...

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You gotta get your hydrogenic sack peaked up, other wise you can't get a clean shave

That's all I'm really saying

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Respectfully, Doc, this is hogwash.

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In my defense, that line refers to a single, WTG pass. I said you can get much closer with a three-pass. I guess I should clarify the rest since it's a little ambiguous: I was very disheartened in the beginning about how Un-close the shave seemed. My technique was poor. At this point, I come out as smooth as I have with any cartridge. Better/closer would be pushing it- I always got darn close with those cartridges with minor irritation. I save a ton of time whipping through it with a DE blade. As to the comment about the overestimating the thickness, I'm actually in the reverse category- I never considered my beard was full/thick, given its rather patchy appearance, but given its ability to plug up a multi-blade razor in a hurry, require multiple passes from a multi blade for best results, pulling/tugging with duller (per online reviews/relative scales) blades, I've determined it's actually somewhat on the "thicker" side. Which is a damn shame, because it sure as hell grows in ugly after about Day 3.

Shaving with this today. 1921 style.