Well Eric, as long as everyone else is chiming in, I guess I'll throw my 2¢ in !

Being new at this, it's natural to jump in "with both feet" (which is what I did).

What do I have ?.....

DOVO Premium hanging strop (linen/leather).....my "daily" strop).
Norton combo waterstone (220/1000).
Norton waterstone (4000).
Norton waterstone (8000).
Belgian yellow coticule.
Kitayama (12,000).
$200 worth of vintage ceramic barber-hones from Tilly (Redtrader).
14" x 14" piece of plate glass (to lap my stones with #400 paper).
Thiers-Issard premium "two-sided" paddle strop.
.....and it goes on and on and on..............

My point is this: Don't worry so much about "goodies", as you do "TECHNIQUE" ! ! !

(I think a good "hone-meister" could sharpen a razor on a piece of wet/dry
emerycloth) !

We're all in this together (for better or worse). I'm trying hard to get to
the point where I can get my razor to shave like a million-dollars (and it might well take a while to get there), I know it can be done.....I just need to learn HOW !

Marko.....