also maybe it was technigue as most beginners find out ,, maybe the blade is ready , learn to strop the right way to keep it sharp ,,, and above all get a razor honed by the pros, even the most experienced knife guys out there found out the hard way its a different ball game with a razor. learn to shave first then you will know if a razor is right otherwise its kinda hard to tell if you can hone it to shave ready. good luck and maybe find someone in your area to help you out tc