Number ten is what's most likely caused your shaving troubles. The actual edge is not supposed to touch the strop; it's supposed to lay flat so that the sides (bevel) of the edge are in contact. Not holding the strop tightly causes the edge to be dulled inadvertantly. Also, you should use little to no pressure at all. Was your razor shave ready when it was shipped or was honing a separate service? If it wasn't part of the package then you'll need to have that done unless you're ready to dive into the honing end of the pool. I'm no expert on this but I'm willing to bet the honemeisters here will agree for the most part.

Kurt