I've recently started using a straight razor and have now tried five shaves. The first three seemed to go well, giving a reasonable WTG shave in easy areas, but on the 4th and 5th the blade appears to be somewhat less effective at cutting than it was; it keeps catching on hairs and does not shave very close. Of course, it could be that my technique is still rather erratic and these last two shaves have just been bad ones, although all have had the same preparation.

But, I have found stropping rather difficult and find that I can only do it slowly, and probably with too much pressure. I've managed to put a few nicks in the (luckily only US$12) strop as well. Is it possible that such ineptness could have been able to blunt the razor in such a short time? The razor was honed before being supplied to me, but it is of a certain brand reported on this board as being of variable quality.