I got it!
I think my major setback was lack of confidence and fear of the overhoning I'd heard of and my inept handling of that small paddle strop, undoing the work I'd done on the hone.
I got the 3" hanging strop from thewellshavedgentleman.com and it's excellent.
After 30-40 passes on that thing the shave is a completely different experience after the hone.
(the bonus beginner strop is appreciated as well).
...think about what's happening to the blade as you hone, strop pretty much went through my head.

I stuck with 8k and finished with a few strokes on a barber hone and my TI Super Gnome and Filarmonica 7/8 Doble-Tempe each shaved so-so on first try then much improved after honing on the barber stone and stropping once more. Each finished 1/2 of my face just fine. Now I get to hone lightly and try again until it stops improving, which is where I was hoping to be. I like the 7/8 a lot.

I go have the 3/8 to contend with, the bevel isn't evenly sharp, and an old ebay buy with a spine that isn't very even, probably out of my hands but it's gonna be fun seeing where I can get with it.

Lynn's DVD is excellent btw, indispensible, IMO; dollar-for-dollar the best investment I made in this endeavor. With the DVD, some time, facial cells, and finally a self-honed blade or two I shaved comfortably with, I finally feel like Im catching on. Since I feel like I'm learning, I will be sure to send out future acquisitions to be honed by th resident experts. (sometimes I like learning the hard way I guess).