When you talk to someone about honing, it's almost always in the range of what works for knives. In a hardware store, they might know a lot about sharpening knives and chisels but the stones they use for final work are pretty much the hones we use for initial rough work. It's not their fault. Unfortunately it's a common mistake made by new members here to take their razors to a knife sharpener who ends up trashing their blade. You got off easy!