Welcome Frank, I'm quite new to this straight razor stuff too, but I can heartly recommend you to send it for honing. In my first shave i used my Filly #14's factory edge. It's a fantastic razor, among the bests, but it was dull.

Then I used sandpaper up to 1000 grit to hone it myself, a little improvement, but still not a good shave.

Later I sent it for honing and man... my best spent 10 euros.

And... I thought I was going to save money too... well... a few months and I already have my filly #14, a 7/8 Friodur, a fantastic Sheffield, a Dubl Duck and a Croghan Cutlery & Co...

cheers