Honing out microchips on my Wostenholm IXL

[tgparker]

As some of you already know I'm still learning how to hone... and one of my eBay specials, a 5/8" Geo. Wostenholm IXL square point, is not getting "really" shave ready...

Someone mentioned that the older Sheffield steels were a harder grade steel than the usual carbon steel and thusly harder to hone, but they also had a tendency to microchip...

I've been looking and searching through the forum msg. traffic, am I right in assuming that a good way to hone a blade that's micro-chipping is by "back-honing", ie. honing with the edge facing rear-wards ie. the same direction as in stropping?

If that's correct, then I'll try that as well...

Also, do you guys have any other tips for honing a hard blade that might be microchipping?

Thanks in advance,

Tony