You can also consider Revisor 6/8. Here is a square tip 6/8.
I just got a new Revisor and loved it.
+1 to mellowing out about sterilizing razors. Please don't put your razor in any machine or soak it in anything to clean it either. Glen makes a good point about honemeisters not having to test shave every razor. You'll notice Lynn taking about the "consistency" of stones when honing so it makes sense that he wouldn't need to shave with every razor...I doubt that the guy that hones at Revisor shaves with any of the razors that he hones.
I honestly wouldn't get a synthetic brush (I have one and wouldn't ever recommend it as your first and only brush ever)...I'm a vegetarian and I use badger. They're all from china where they are over populated and are eaten for food (whatever floats your boat!). They aren't being factory farmed (to my knowledge anyway) and being tortured before killed. If you're concerned about germs instead of the animal rights aspect, the hair is sterilized before you even see it.
I've never used a synthetic strop so I have no idea how well they work or what the draw is like so I can't comment on it.