First off i must say congrats on owning your first razor and it not needing honed for more than half a year. Half a year is about how much time my razors would hold a good edge anyway, but i still hone and touch them up more frequently because i have an addiction. With that said it might not be so much of your stropping technique as it is the razor just needs honed from use. As for the nick, I have shaved with razors with small nics without much of a problem as long as the rest of the blade is inline and stropped properly, but bigger nicks will definitely cause agony especially when applying too much pressure. If you are a diy guy i would recommend learning to hone, but also to have it honed by a pro now so that you know what to expect when you start attempting to do it yourself. Just my 1 1/2 cents.