Sorry, if after reading anything on honing on this forum, especially any of the many instructional threads, a noob runs his razor over a non flat surface he deserves whatever he gets.
I've been using 1000 wet dry to set bevels for over a decade now. Thats all you use 1000 anything for. I think a single piece of paper does about a dozen razors, I don't really know since I usually ruin the paper some other way than by wearing it out. That said I don't think I have used $20 in paper in 10+ years. Its cheap and its as easy as a hone in my book. You can't say it doesn't wook or shouldn't be used.