Hi all,

So I took up shaving a few months ago with a couple of razors I bought here on the classifieds. So far I've run into two issues I was hoping you could help me with:

1) I keep nicking my strop. One strop got so nicked I chucked it, the second is now at half-length. Part of me wonders whether it's because I bought cheap shit strops to begin with, but like most starving grad students, I'm in no place to be hunting expensive leather. What am I likely to be doing wrong, and is there a way to extend the useful lifespan of a strop after you've nicked it? One website said to take very find sand paper, cut off the flap, and sand down the remainder of the nick, but that appears to create a rough grain on the leather that can't possibly be good for stropping.

2) Can anyone recommend a razor sharpener that I could send my razors out to, for honing? Someone mentioned this usually costs something on the order of $15/razor, which compared to the prices I see for sharpening stones even in the classifieds here is just... worlds apart. I'd like to learn to hone, but the up-front cost is still overwhelming (although, you don't have to convince me, I know that buying the stones and honing for myself for a lifetime works out much cheaper in the long-term). Or perhaps an honemeister in the Boston or NYC areas (I'm usually in one or the other) that might help me out for a cup of good coffee?