honing or possible shaving help needed

[Sirtexan]

Howdy, this is my first post here but I have been reading and surfing these forums for awhile. Right now I am having problems with my straight razor and I am not sure it it is me or the razor. I have had it " honed" by a professional and when I got it back. It did not give me the desired shave.
After I tried shaving the first time I stropped it. It did a slightly better job, but nothing I was impressed with. I thought it might be the razor so I spent a little more money and bought another razor. Which said when purchased it would be hand honed before sent.
That shave was still not impressive like I see everyone talking about.
I understand that honing a razor is different than a knife. And I respect that fact. I have done a lot of research and watched the video on the forum. Still I am incapable of getting a close shave. Definitely not the closet shave ever. Finally I decided it was my technique while shaving.
I sat down got out an old skinning knife. Cleaned it sharpened it shaved with it. Closest shave I have seen in awhile. I didn't strop the skinning knife. And the finest stone that was used was a hard Arkansas stone. But for the razor I use a 4000/8000 Norton combo water stone. Does anyone have any ideas to help me. Or maybe tips on what I may be doing wrong. I will got back to the ingrown hairs of the Mach 5 if i have to stay with the skinning knife. Lol