Someone asks a reasonable question - can we get some sort of slight honor refund on used PVP gear that we want to upgrade? Blizzard replies probably not, as you would have used it to PVP anyway and theoretically amass for honor faster.

Did you not use that set to PvP? Is it not probably playing at least some role in your ability to acquire the level 70 set? It seems like you have and are still going to get a lot of use out of it. Not getting a refund on your used items doesn't mean your efforts were wasted, or that the items didn't serve your ability to PvP.