I think my technique is slowly improving, but I still have a few questions regarding stropping.
  1. I notice slightly more draw as the razor travels away from me versus as it travels back. I assume this is indicating room for improvement on my technique. It probably means I'm unconsiously putting a bit of preassure on the blade as it travels away from me. I am doing my best to put no preassure other than to ensure the blade remains in contact with the leather the whole path. Any thoughts?
  2. I notice as I speed up my laps, when I flip the blade (spind down of course), I tap the blade a bit on the leather. It's very light of course, but I'm concerned that this too is a bad technique that I should keep from happening. Just how smooth should that role to the other side be?
  3. How easy is it to dull a razor on a strop and how easy is it to fix? While most of my shaves are getting pretty good, I'm still strugling a bit going ATG. My biggest problem is it's not smooth and the blade sticks and jumps a bit, especially near my chin where my beard is especially dense and course. I'm not sure if this is a shave technique issue or a blade sharpness issue or both. Since I don't think I'm ready to add honing to the mix, my blades are sharpened by honemeisters, but at $20 a pop and a couple weeks round trip, I can't afford too many hone jobs. Once properly honed, I would hope it would last a few months. Is that a propper expectation or is it relatively easy to dull a blade while stropping? And no, I'm not rolling my razor on the blade, I haven't knicked my strop in over two months (knock wood), and my razors have been honed since the last time I knicked my strop.