Newbie with hone and pinning questions

I've been DE wet shaving for 8-9 months now. A couple of weeks ago in a weak moment, I somehow purchased a Ern 4720 straight razor. (I swear, Honey, I don't know how this happened...)

I've never even had a straight shave.

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I've sanded all the rust and most of the pitting. It really has shined up nicely.

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The scales were warped and cracked and one broke in pieces when I unpinned it.



My new scales

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Now my Questions:



1. What type of hone finish is best for a newbie?



2. Should I have it honed before I rescaled it?



3. Should I have someone else repinn or can I do that?



4. What should all this cost me to get done. (This is not a cheap hobby lol).

Attached Images

• ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406907530.461400.jpg (25.7 KB)


• ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406907696.619195.jpg (43.7 KB)


• ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406907764.316167.jpg (52.4 KB)