Joe - great post.

I myself will be trying to extend indefinitely periods between honing using just a strop + linen, Cromium, and maybe newspaper. So I am all with you on that one.(currently I have not had to hone a razor I am done with - but this is just because I have too many, and am still fine-tuning many of them, with only a few that I don't think I can improve)

However, I also happen to have a couple of old razors, which are far from comfortable to shave with, and I am pretty sure they were used like this. We don't really know how comfortable the shaves for many men were at the time

As for honing - I think Lynn said that if you don't have a decent handle on it by the time you hone your 20th or so razor - maybe it's not your thing.

If you persevere though - I am pretty sure that you won't have to send out razors for touch up all the time

Cheers
Ivo