to TSD @Marky I hope you enjoy it here. You question isn't dumb, just part of the learning process. Some DE shavers use just the cap to shave successfully, your not the first to give it a try. I also tried this method, but unfortunately it didn't work well for me. Have you tried a blade sample pack? IMO especially when you first start "traditional" shaving, the more different blades you can try the better. You'd be surprised how much difference a blade can make for both closeness and comfort. Also with DE multiple passes are generally better. Hang in there and soon you will get stellar shaves.
riding the cap and only having the blade edge contact the skin may work for some people and some razors. But the few times I tried it, it was extremely tedious and required excessessive numbers of passes to finish the shave. For some reason when it comes to things like curved surfaces, riding the cap and blade edge, leads to lots of skipping. Even tried it with my old type and the new improved I had, steal leads to skipping and skin removal.
Riding the cap is good advice for new wetshavers trying to find the proper angle, avoiding irritation. Someone with, say, one or more years of experience, should be able to find the best angle by feel.
