Quote Originally Posted by mjsorkin View Post
The razor seems pretty sharp when I am done honing it. I am able to get a clean shave with no nicks and razor burn. I miss maybe one or two tiny spots. Not perfect at shaving yet but I have been getting the job done. The razor just dulls quickly (starts pulling, and I get nicks). Then after a touch up on 8k, the razor shaves good again. I have had to repeat this cycle about 4 times. Is good stropping supposed to maintain the sharpness for a while between touch ups?

-----Michael

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I am a bit of a noob to straight razors, but it sounds like your honing was not up to snuff. If you just keep doing it like you are doing it, you will probably notice it holds the edge longer and longer. From what I have read, you should get a few months from a good hone, stropping every shave. Probably changed the bevel a hair a hair and if you looked at the edge through a microscope you would see a line where the bevel changed. each "cycle" the line is moving away from the edge making that bevel stronger. I am also fairly certian the strop/linen does not actually remove metal but massages the edge back straight. either all the rambling or you may have a razor with too soft of steel to hold an edge long. if that is the case, softer steel will also hone up faster.