I do think he got a bashing, he had some blood on his upper lip. Gave him a clean with a washing cloth and some scratching around the ears and jaw, he did seem to enjoy that.
I try to keep my hands around his mouth, but that tongue of his keeps peeping out, so I put it back under the teat and then he'll just let the milk run out of the side of his mouth.
I'll just keep trying, like you said, patience. I'm not one to quit on these guys.