I would learn to hone with tape and as you master the torque vs pressure technique you can practice honing on razors without tape. I have been honing for about six months and have a long way to go before I try and set a bevel without tape. The two razors that I have tried to hone without tape ended up with several decades worth of hone wear to the spine, luckily I was smart enough to use some eBay cheapies to experiment with.