When you are doing 45 degree angle for honing a smiley or a blade where the heal and toe not making full contact. Do you hone keeping edge totaly flat ?or start with heal and spine flat then following the stroke through?. I find even though i change the angle i still don't hit the heal un less i start with heal on the hone then gradualy roll through the stroke with 45 degree angle. How do you guys get your razors to sit flat just i found just latley i have brough my self a couple of very nice not cheap razors and one side nice and flat flip it over and the other sideone end does'nt sit flat no where need i have found x pattern works for this and following the ripple of wate in front of my edge and alter ing my angle or raising slightly works very well. I think this also can make honing very hard for some one just starting to hone.As they may be honing and being careful in keeping blade very flat and wondering why its not getting sharp in certain areas.
A lot of the time they probably don't realize the edge is not contacting the hone it caught me out when i first started. That is why i religously use marker its a great indicator