Can't speak for the OP, but you are very close to hands on help, we have had a Meet in Yakima every Spring for the last 4 years and have had a Meet in Spokane in the Fall for the past 5 if you get up to the North of Idaho just fire me a PM and I would be happy to sit down over coffee or a beer and take the time to show you exactly how to hone... Gerritt is in Yak, Roy is in Walla Walla and both of them hone and have taught others also..
Coffee, beer, honing lesson from Glen, is anything better? Anything better? Tell us it then (to quote Yeats)...