I just bought two vintage straight razors, which are winging their way toward my house.

A Genco:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...view=all&tid=0

And a Clauss:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...view=all&tid=0

I don't have a strop yet, and I am not sure how to tell what kind of condition these are in, the blades looked clean in some of the photos that were online, without visible issues in the close-ups.

I'm hoping buying these was a good decision ... but I don't know what I'm doing here. Next step: get a strop and figure out if these need to be professionally honed before entrusting my face to them?

I'm currently shaving with glycerine facial soap in a mug and a shaving brush. Is the specialty shaving soap that much better?