I have done my research before getting everything I needed for a straight razor. I have a strop and a stone. I got my straight razor from an antique mall. I it is hollow ground and carbon steel. It has pitting but not on the edge of the blade. I have spend hours trying to hone the thing and strop it, but it won't get sharp enough. I was told the trick is to be able to cut a hair and I even tried it on my face, but it skipps (I do try to shave at the 30 degree angle). I am using a figure 8 or X pattern when honing and stropping and I go away from the blade when stropping and towards the blade when honing.I am pretty gentle, trying to let the blade slide with te weight of the blade and it makes that "shing" sound. I rubbed my thumb accross and i cannot feel any imperfections and it peirces the skin pretty easily, I think anyway, but I have not had experience with a shaep blade to tell.This id frustrating