Definite irony to my name, but I am looking to change that!

When honing a new razor, how many strokes should you need to do on your sharpening stone? From what I read, 'shave ready' is not truly shave ready.

Once honed and moving onto stropping, should it just be the 10 strokes on the cloth side then 25 on the leather side?

Also, how often and when do you use the strop conditioner?

What else could I be doing wrong?

I can't seem to get my straight edge sharp enough! I have been using a 'disposable' straight edge for years and can't seem to get my new razor sharp enough to get the same smooth action I get out of my disposable. After honing, and stropping, (several times now) it still feels like it is pulling out my whiskers as opposed to slicing through them. I do not want to ruin my beautiful razor, so here I am. HELP!

I have spent good $ on getting all the right tools to do the job (see below). I have done my homework (i.e.: spent hours online watching vids and reading how tos), so I appologize if the answer is on this site because I could not find it.

What I have:
- a beautiful NEW 5/8" Dovo Solingen straight edge.
- a new strop & strop conditioner
- Arkansas stone
- AND (after doing more research online) a combo 4000/8000 wetstone.