If I've said it once I'll say it a hundred times the old X pattern we all love came about because the old razor hones were small and you had to use it. The newer larger hones don't require it. If I on rare occassion use a barbers hone I use the X pattern but most of the time I use either a 3 inch coticule or the Norton and I use a straight push pattern with the heel leading. It works fine for me so X fans put that in your pipe and smoke it!