Hey guys,
I have had my straight razor for about a year and have shaved 15-20 times with it. My goal is to shave with it, as a hobby, once a week. However, I have noticed that my "Shave Ready" Dovo from the Art of Shaving is probably not sharp enough to be considered shave ready. It hurts to shave, even with pre-shave lotion. and even after 3 passes I still do not have as close of a shave as I get daily with my safety razor. I think I need to get the razor honed (and I am sure things will get better with practice).

So, do I need to hone it, or just strop the heck out of it? Should I get a finishing hone (If so, can you suggest one for me to buy) or should I just pay someone to hone it for me? I love to learn new skills and save money, but is it worth it for me?