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Yes, scratches are the reason for an increasing grit progression, in much the same way restoring uses a sandpaper progression.

The basic idea that has developed over time here (and perhaps other...

I'd say that's a good idea this first time - a pro honer will have good tools and will be able to get the edge shaving nicely. As an added bonus you'll have something to aim for.

I'd suggest that...

A bit of pressure can be OK when setting bevels, but too much can obviously be a bad thing. One of the main goals when honing is to maintain the integrity of the (intended) geometry - full hollows...