For a guy who has a couple razors and just shaves amd maintains his razors I don't think things have changed one bit. yes there are new materials in hones but once you adapt its still the same process. Most guys like that have one maybe two hones and thats it.

Now if your talking most of the shaving fiends here well, we're more into this like a hobby so we're always buying the latest gadget trying to get the max out our razors. truthfully most are on a continuum between the two ends.

As far as the old days you could take a razor to a barber who would hone it for you and they maintained their own razors however back then any knife shop could skillfully hone and redo bevels on razors and there were guys who went from shop to shop doing this kind of work also so if the barber didn't want to do it or had a blade with a damaged edge he had this option. Also remember if a barber wanted to he could buy a new razor for about a buck for a basic model.