I remember my grandfather using his Hellberg straight razor. He stropped with a leather belt and then put razor back to the same drawer he had taken it. I never saw him honing his razor although i saw him honing many other blades and tools.
After he passed away i got his razor and there was no rust or pitting. It was still sharp: something i get from 3k or 4k stone. Sadly no more i have no way to find out if he ever honed it any sharper than that. There's nobody to tell.

I think that for the elder generations razor was just a razor. A tool for shaving but nothing special. My old timer took care of his razor but he took care for all of his tools as well. Still they was just a tools to make something. Very important they were, but unworthy and pointless if let unused.
The older i get, more rational i see it.