So I've been trying to stretch out the amount of shaves off my coticule, before having to do a few laps on the stone. I'm now about 3 1/2 months into straight shaving, but feel my technique, and prep and such, have been good for a while now. I've been consistently having to do a half dozen (weight of the blade only) laps on water, every 3 shaves, as I like to keep the blade in tip top shape. For a change up, I went from holding my stop fairly tight (not pull it off the wall tight), to what GSSIXGUN calls taut in one of his stropping videos, and have to say that I'm 7 shaves in from my last touch up, and am still bringing my edge back to what is satisfactory to me. I've done more, or less stropping laps for posterity's sake, and didn't really see much, if any difference, but the lessening of a bit of pressure on the stop, seems to make all the difference. Nice when something comes together!