I will echo the posters here...get it professionally honed. Then learn the proper stropping technique. I've read here that many folks feel that you almost can't over-strop BUT...you CAN round the edge so watch any video you can watch. THEN look into getting into honing your razors. I have honed some of monie mine BUT...to judge how I've progressed along MY learning curve I'll STILL send my Dovo and Boker to a professional, be it Lynn or one of the folks on the site. So far I've only had the Dovo honed by Lynn but at some point the Boker will need it and I have a few that I can't conquer so those will definitely go to one of the pros. The Dovo andf Boker will go tothe pros...I'm not gonna ruin them. If you ARE intent on learning to hone your razor, get a cheapie straight razor off Fleabay for the practice. The Norton hones probably need to be lapped too and the set includes a lap stone. Above all else, read this forum as often as you can do so...there are ALOT of folks here with volumes of knowledge. Happy shaves. RIch.