The easiest way I have found for bevel setting was after watching the bread knifing vid by glen. Hold the razor like a knife with the spine off the hone and set the bevel then lower a bit set again and so forth till flat on the hone. Is much quicker and saves ware on the spine also. Check it out on youtube as said its the bread knifing vid. The dmt will leave deep scratched and trust me take a while to get out. Try to avoid if possible. The 1k is really quite quick if you use the right method. That said the dmt is a great lapping stone and I wouldn't be without it. Very affordable from carbatec as this is where I got mine. For around $10 they will mail it signed for. Im in the same position trying to learn a coti I just brought. So much easier on synthetics.