I would like to ask the more experienced honemeisters a question that one of my proteges put to me and after some thought I'm not sure I handed out the best advice.

The question was what is the best way to learn how to hone?

My answer was pretty much the way I learned. Get yourself a shave ready razor and a barber hone...and if posible someone who can show you how to properly use it. Then after learning touchups go to a 4/8k and learn how to restore a slightly duller razor that would take forever on a barber hone...and after success with that then if you are so inclined get a 1k and start doing some "restoration" work.

My thought process was something along the line of by starting with a barber hone and a shave ready blade you learn what "sharp" feels like and have a pretty forgiving stone to learn how to return it to adequate sharpness...and when I first started I was doing weekly "tuneups" because of my flawed stropping/shaving techniques so I cleared that hurdle pretty quick.

I felt my answer was somewhat validated by all the posts I've read here that go something like "I've just bought a brand new razor and a Norton 4/8k stone and I need help!"...but on the other hand there are several posts from guys who outfitted themselves with a full range of grits and some eBay razors and somehow managed to teach themselves while having fun in the process.

What say the experts...wade around a little in the shallow end first or jump in with both feet?