I also hone 2-handed when trying to even out a smiling blade with swooping strokes, and also do circles and sometimes Japanese strokes when trying to start a stubborn bevel. Sometimes I'll even lay a finger on the part of the blade when trying to bring, say, the toe into line, or if the blade is not 100 percent flat on the hone. Learning the fundamentals is vital, but so is paying close attention to each blade and what it needs. There are many paths to shave ready. Most of us are still finding new ones-that's most of the fun!