Well I guess the conundrum is:
a) to send it out and hone it
b) or start to hone self

The scales are quite thin and do not appear plastic or cellulose. I want to hone it myself but I don't have hones and my common sense says to send it out. I love how it feels in the hand very light and overall smaller than my Redpoint. Just picked up a pair of W&B razors, one of them is in really nice shape.