Thread: Newbie Honing Question

Hello all.

I just bought an old, inexpensive razor which I'll practice honing/ stropping on. The blade is in very good condition with no nicks, frowning, or pits near the cutting edge. It's somewhat sharp; if I run it down the back of my forearm, it'll cut most of the hairs it passes over in half, though it causes tugging and takes a bit of pressure.

What kind of hone or hones will i need to get it ready for stropping? Can I use the same type of hone that I would use to touch it up every couple months when it becomes too dull to strop? Or would I need something a little coarser to get it to that state? If possible, I would prefer to only have to purchase one hone (I'm on a limited budget), even if that means I'll have to hone it for a couple hours my first time.