Another suggestion from a honing newbie...

Put your hands on a decent (no chips) antique store blade. If you don't have one go looking. Its fun and you might find some nice surprises. I found myself a Dubl Duck Goldie and a Wade Butcher for just a few bucks. Anyway, get something you wouldn't mind messing up.

Now breadknife it. I used the side of an old knife hone I wouldn't use on a razor. Get it nice and dull.

Now you've got yourself a nice start for honing practice. I've been trying to hone up a slightly less than perfect blade for a long time and haven't really been able to tell if I was getting anywhere. It's been frustrating.

So frustrating that I finally decided to just take another older crappier razor that had a frown and a smile in it that I was shying away from and breadknife it and start from scratch.

I did this took it from 1k to 4k to 8k and bam I was shaving arm hair and had a blade that might not really be shave ready IMO but is definitely pretty razor sharp and shows me I'm doing something with my stones.

Now I certainly wouldn't recommend doing this to a nice razor but its worth it to go looking for something to mess up. It will also give you a decent idea of how you're doing. And a confidence boost to boot.

Anyway thats what I did I its really helped me out.

Just a thought.

Robert