As I read post after post, I see several recipes for disaster...Newbies just starting to shave are also anxious to start honing their razors and also use paste...This is a potential disaster for several reasons... a new shaver needs to either send out their razors to be honed by an experienced honer or purchase a used shave ready razor from a reputable sell not one on ebay...With a properly honed razor, a new shaver will learn what a sharp razor should shave and feel like thus establishing a bar to compare other razors in the future...The hone should last 2-3 months during which time the new shaver can learn and improve his shaving and stroping techniques...Honing a razor correctly takes considerable practice and if one doesnt know what a shave ready razor feels like, you wont know if the razor you hone is really sharp...there is a big difference between shaving with a kinda sharp razor and a really sharp blade...With regard to paste, wait to become proficient at stroping your razor...If you strop a razor poorly a good restrop will most always bring the edge back to where it was before you screwed the pooch! A poor stroping with paste will almost certainly destroy the hone on the razor making it basically unshaveable...so masteryour stroping tech before going to paste...If you must buy a stone buy a norton 4000/8000 and a begium codicle to finish up the hone...Buy new stones not used if possible...this is a long term investment and why not start fresh with stones in perfect condition...finally there are many experienced shavers on this forum who will answer your questions ...I am also seeing some very new and inexperienced shavers chimeing in with their opinions and advice...while their intentions are honorable and they want to help, their opinions and advise may be flawed... you are better off getting advise from experienced shavers...patience...