Quote Originally Posted by dmpljim View Post
1. Belgian Blue 4000 and Yellow Corticule 8000 vs a Norton 4000/8000 combo stone? Would 2 individual stones instead of the combo stone be a better bet? Which setup is most user friendly and more efficient?
There are no grit sizes for natural hones, cf Belgian Hones - Straight Razor Place Wiki. The Norton combo is probably more user friendly. Bart showed me how to use only a Coticule, and that works well - for me.

Quote Originally Posted by dmpljim View Post
2. Strops ie: Latigo, Russian Leather, Linen and Canvas? Which one(s) would You buy and why?
I would recommend going through the review archives. Bart and I swear by the Old Traditional strop by The Different Scent, but Tony Miller's and SRD's strops are also highly rated, and the webbing on the SRD strops works like a charm. And then there are the Kanyamas...

I would be more concerned about the size of the strop. I like 2" width best. Here is a comparison of an SRD Premium I to an Illinois, and the Old Traditional:


Quote Originally Posted by dmpljim View Post
3. Strop paiste's and dressings? Pumice stone to reset strop surface? Which paiste is optimal w/o having to buy more than one, maybe 2, if necessary.
I have never used a Pumice stone except to remove small nicks. Their price is negligible, anyway. As far as pastes are concerned, opinions vary. I do not use them, others swear by them. Finishing Pastes - Straight Razor Place Wiki should answer all your questions.

Quote Originally Posted by dmpljim View Post
4. I have seen Balsa wood boards which are impregnated with honing paiste. How valuable are these in obtaining the best edge?.
They work like a pasted strop. As far as "best" edge is concerned, I am getting the results I need from a Coticule and a strop. But that is just my personal opinion.