Hi

I've been shaving with a str8 for about 3 years now but am still having some problems that I was hoping someone could help with.

Firstly - I have a very hard beard that grows quickly and I shave every day.

I have a "new" Kropp razor (my old razor had some nicks in it from some epic travelling!) I honed it so that it would cut a hanging hair and shave my upper arm without any pulling. I stropped it on the smooth side on my strop (20-25 laps) with virtually only the weight of the razor pressing down. Here is my first question: How much downward pressure should I use when stropping?

I use St James of London shaving cream which I apply directly to my face and then lather with a badger brush - the lather always dries out before I finish my shave so I have to lather my neck again to finish the shave (this could be because I live in a very hard water area?). My first shave with the new razor was a wonderful thing but my second was not as comfortable (stropping technique?) and the third was not comfortable at all.

At the end of the shave my razor is covered in soap scum that does not just wash off in water - I have to soap the razor and rub my forefinger and thumb along it to clean the blade (being careful not to go too close to the blade edge). Then I dry using a piece of tissue paper.

My questions are:
Why is my razor not holding its edge for even a week?
I my stropping technique wrong (is this causing a problem with the blade?) I am using the smooth side of the strop with virtually no downward pressure other than the weight of the blade.
Am I doing something wrong with the lather that it is not lasting for the whole shave?
Why is my blade so caked in soap scum at the end of the shave? (this happened with my old one too and any soap / cream that I have tried).

I know this is a lot of questions but I would *so* love for all of my shaves to be the same as my shave on Sunday - the first one after preparing the blade.

Many Thanks

Brett