I was speaking to Randy and he told me he is using the rolling x all of the time now. I am too unless the blade is absolutely flat and with a perfectly straight profile.

I have posted this link here many times. It is the excerpt from the barber's manual circa 1961. Those guys knew something about honing a razor. Gary, being a barber you would appreciate this.

The method that they teach for keeping a razor from getting a frown while using the x pattern is similar to the rolling x and I do this with many razors. I agree with the writer of the tutorial that a slightly smiling blade is preferable to a totally straight profile.

Anyhow, using this method works for me in getting the whole blade from point to heel sharp.