Thank you all for your warm welcome.

Since I last posted, I've ordered a Boker 'King Cutter' online, it should arrive professionally honed and stropped, I'm hoping that will either make my shaves more comfortable or at least slice my skin less painfully. I am then going to send my original razor to the same chap for his attention. I have no intention of giving up at this stage.
I live in the Vendée department of France, so I've ordered from a European vendor - to reduce delivery time and costs.
One question I have, perhaps I can call on your collective wisdom? Whilst shopping for my next razor online I was confused by the different models and costs of razors available. I first though the price differential was explained by the often unusual materials used for the scales, but I've found you can have even the most exotic scales fitted to any razor for just a few £££. Apart from the difference in size - but surely 1/8"x3" of mild steel can't cost that much - once you have bought into a quality brand (Thiers-Issard, Boker, Dovo etc) are the (much) more expensive models better in any practical way? Or is it just the decoration that hikes the price? I've no desire to display the razors I buy, I just want to shave with them.

Having my existing razor honed and stropped is going to cost me about £35 (just under $60) I can't afford to be doing that on a weekly basis so I guess I need to be looking at buying some honing stones, I've read through the threads on honing and it seems personal preference plays a large part in informing choice. Well here's the rub, I have no knowledge or experience of honing, so I don't have any pre conceived preference and I am again confused by choice. Given my story and my apparent ineptitude at all things dexterous what would you choose?

Thanks,

Alwill747