I posted this question in a thread in the strops forum as well, but this seems like a better place for the discussion. (Or not.)

For those of you with coarse beards, how do you prep your edge, and how long does it last?

I'm on my third shave with a 5/8 half hollow Solingen. I use a Norton 4K/8K combo followed by 1 and .5 micron pastes on a Tony Miller leather paddle strop.

This morning I tested my razor before stropping. It broke hairs, but didn't cut them cleanly. After 30 laps on the linen, it was back to popping hairs. About 50 strokes with medium-easing-to-light pressure on the leather put an even finer edge on the razor. Cut cleanly through hanging hairs.

Should I notice this much dulling between stropping sessions? I'm wondering if my edge isn't a little weak. I think I'll experiment with stropping during the shave. I'd hate to have to do that in the long run; it would be a pain.