Everyone's going to have different opinions, and no-one knows what your beard's like in comparison to theirs, so it's all subjective, but...
I'd get a Norton 4/8. I actually think one can learn to hone without TOO many problems if you take it easy. Seriously, I am a really inept user of tools and I didn't find it too hard; though I had two razors...
Actually, you need everything you've spoken of, really. You need another razor, a hone and possibly another strop. You say you've wrapped the strop around a door knob. Is it even when honing? Check that it's not buckling, as if it is the razor's edge won't touch it completely all the way along.
I don't think you can really tell how good an edge is from a photo, though it might help to show damage or a warp, etc. I don't know enough about honing to judge that edge, but it does look to me that your razor has some hone wear.
The good thing about a Norton 4/8 and such is that you can use almost a formula to start off with the honing.
It could be you have a really tough beard. But other than the easy to see difference in one another's closeness of hairs, I don't think we really know a lot about COARSENESS or hardness of hair; unless we go around feeling each other's faces, which I don't...
All you really know is what works for you and what you like. So get a hone, get a good strop (IF your strop is curved or damaged only) and get a second razor (shave ready) if you can. Then experiment on your face!