I guess my beige sedan fits right in with this dull era, doesn't it?

Try a different support wrap, one with a real strap.

Used to be one of those guys who cared about every little detail. Remember arguing with a buddy over the exact type of grass on his diorama, saying it had to match the real place. But hearing about your friend's boxcar, it hit me how silly that is. We get so caught up in being right that we forget the fun part, like the way he probably made that rust look real and weathered. Now I see contests should reward skill and imagination, not just a color chart. Your friend's experience really opened my eyes.

Makes sense, rushing through trimming always backfires just like in cooking. When you follow the bone close, you get all the meat off without leaving bits behind. @hannahmiller had it right with the sharp knife tip, that makes following the bone way easier. If your knife is dull, you end up forcing it and messing up the cut. Taking your time here saves so much hassle later, lol.

That whole phone battery thing is so real. My GPS crapped out in the middle of nowhere once and I had to dig an old atlas out of my glove box. Felt like a dinosaur, but it got me home.