Numi when you say the blade wont even cut hair being dragged across the blade. This doesn't mean it isn't shave ready. I haven't done any honing with a straight razor. But I use knives every day as a meat processor, your knives have to be constantly sharp or you will damage your wrists,arm and elbow. I have a better understanding with knives. I soon worked out quickly you might have a sharp knife off a stone, but unless you know how to look after it you will have a blunt one really quickly. Stropping is the most important part of keeping something sharp. If the edge on your razor has folded it will feel like a butter knife. The edge is there and its still sharp, but its not facing the right way. You imagine how thin the edge has to be to cut hair easly. So any excessive pressure you place on the edge when stropping won't straighten the edge, it will damage it.