Keeping reading here and keep practicing stropping and shaving. It does get better. Your timing on the flip will get better. I had the same situation. I stropped my razor before my first shave before I found out I shouldn't have. I also had bad shaving technique and got razor burn that lasted a few hours after the shave on the first try. I dulled my razor in two weeks with bad stropping technique and also nicked my strop numerous times. Now I haven't nicked it in a long time and I can actually improve the razor edge with it. I can also tell when the razor needs a little refresh now too. It'll come.