I'm a rookie and, after 8 shaves I've managed to dull my Dovo Best Quality 6/8" razor. The blade really started to tug at my hair and burn my skin. I assumed it was my technique and pressed on for another shave, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I pulled out my reference blade, a Dovo Micarta professionally sharpened by SRD, and shaved with it. Whoaa.. world of difference. Smooth passes when I held the blade correctly, I could again focus on my technique.

I'm pretty sure I dulled the blade while stropping. I think I was moving the blade too slow with too light of pressure on the spine. I could hear a lot of "zing" coming off the blade, very different from the audio example in the wiki. Yes, I do lead with the spine, and roll on the spine, bet there is so much more to stropping than that.

I guess what I am trying to say is:
-For such a simple motion demonstrated by experts, its taking some practice for me to emulate.
-Stropping should improve blade sharpness, I manage to make it worse. Lame!
-Great advice from the community here to have a reference blade, helped out a ton.

So I'm gonna send the Dovo Best Quality back to Lynn/Don and have them touch it up for me. I don't think I've done any damage too it, just tuckered it out a bit early. In the meantime I'll continue to shave with the Micarta and hope that my stropping skills have progressed to the point where I wont do any harm.