Hey, thanks! I've gotten a warm welcome from other Minnesotans and everyone on this forum, so I'm really glad to be here.
I picked up that gold dollar I mentioned about 4 weeks ago, and that was my first straight razor shave. After I realized I had made a mistake with that razor, I purchased the one I have now about 2 weeks ago, so I am probably more in the really new category than "relatively new". :D
Yeah, it's possible that it might have a different edge than I was expecting (or maybe when my preferences are better attuned, than I would prefer), but the thumb test that Lynn shows on his honing videos do seem to indicate that it's sharp. It's also possible that my stropping technique isn't developed yet, and so that has affected the edge, as well.
First off, no need to apologize for the digression. Some of the reason I wanted to get into straight razor shaving is to be more in tune with the "old fashioned" way of doing things. That means listening (intently) to those who have come before you, so your experience and stories are always appreciated.
As for dinging my strop, I dinged it mostly with my first straight razor, but I think when I first got this razor and I stropped it for the first time, I also screwed up then. It's only on one side of the strop (the finer brown leather side). I watched a number of videos on stropping, but this definitely seems like something that you need to learn by feel. I should probably talk to one of the folks in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and see if I can just get an in-person demonstration so I know my technique is ok before I continue to make mistakes.
Yeah, that's definitely the trouble I'm having. I watch videos and read a lot about this art, but in the end it comes down to the difference between my "light" and another person's "light". I'm an engineer, so if it were given in in-lbs of pressure perhaps I would be better able to understand it. (joking) :>