I guess if the bevel was set properly and its come round to set it again and there is little to correct then 5 strokes might be sufficient. Still, it is a little vague.

I've done precisely what was mentioned in the last part of Utopia's post, fortunately it was a gold dollar razor. I hadn't set the bevel correctly and continued on to hone with a high grade synthetic stone until the edge couldn't take it any more. With that said, I'd been honing for hours on the high grade synthetic with increasing pressure on the blade.

You certainly live and learn - the importance of getting the bevel right was a lasting lesson from that experience.