I've been having trouble keeping an edge on my razors. I've been very careful with my angles as I shaved and have watched all the stropping videos I could find so I'm pretty sure my technique is good. I've increased the number of stropping strokes to 80-100. I would get about 7 or 8 shaves before the razor started tugging and pulling. A couple days ago I decided to do the hot towel treatment even though I had just gotten out of the shower and it made a world of difference. Razors that I thought weren't quite sharp enough plowed right through the whiskers and felt brand new again. So here's my new routine...

1) Shower (scrub the face and whiskers with soap)
2) Deodorant
3) Fill my shave bowl with hot water and soak brush and washcloth
4) Work up a lather with shave bowl and brush
5) Wet face and apply lather
6) Apply hot washcloth for 30-60 seconds
7) Re-wet face and re-apply lather
8) WTG pass at 30 degrees
9) Re-wet face and lather up left side
10) XTG/ATG pass at 15-20 degrees on left side
11) Re-wet face and lather up right side
12) XTG/ATG pass at 15-20 degress on right side
13) Rinse, re-wet and re-lather
14) Touch up
15) Final rinse with cold water
16) Apply either witch hazel or Burt's Bees unscented aftershave lotion depending on my mood and/or how much irritation I have
17) Clean up

It is a little involved but it sure starts the day off right!