You could try setting a bevel, polish it up as smooth as you can, then do one of two things:

Go back through the stones that you consider polishing or finishing stones and do a progression that increases the strokes as you move up the grit levels (because it'll get harder and harder to make progress as the grit gets finer). For me this would be a Coticule and an Escher or Nakayama w/slurry, then without. This will show whether you just needed to refine the bevel a little more or whether your issue is setting the bevel.

Or add a layer of tape and hit one of those nice Eschers of yours for as long as you feel necessary to make a difference, followed by the finest stone/paste that you've got.

If neither of those work, you either have an improper bevel or the steel's microstructure is too coarse to support an edge as fine as you desire.