...Sheffield Silver Steel Blond Horn straight razor, Illinois Strop hanging strop, TI paddle strop, Norton 4000/8000 hone, some 0.5 and 1.0 diamond paste, and a whole boatload of soaps, aftershaves, and accessories. I'm a relative newcomer to wetshaving and a complete virgin (well, sorta') to straight razors. Now a question: What should I do with the razor, in a step-by-step fashion, from the moment I take it out of the box to the moment I use it on my face? I understand from lots of reading on wetshaving/straight razor websites that the razor may (likely) need honing then stropped before ever using it on my face. Some say to try it first. My problem is I've been wetshaving for 2 weeks with a Merkur Vision (which I love) and I'm not sure I will be able to tell if my new straight razor needs honed, stropped, or nothing at all, before use.
So, how do I tell if it needs 1. honed, 2. stropped, or 3. nothing. And if it needs honed, typically how many passes at 4000 and then 8000? If stropping is needed, how many passes on leather? Any passes on the linen side? I have the newbie jitters regarding honing a brand new TI since I've never even stropped a razor, let alone honed one. Can anyone give me some instruction and (just as importantly) encouragement? I know this is a lot of questions but I would be very appreciative for answers to, or at least attempts to answer each one and any other suggestions you may have. Thank you massively.

Tom