From the look of the bevel, I would suspect a holding issue. While I have never honed a razor like that freehand, I would use a holder.

I have honed small finger plane blades (about that size) free hand, with single directional strokes, with shop made wooden angle guide/ holders and with an edge pro. All with good results and even bevels.

If you want perfect bevels you need a jig, Holding the blade and moving the stone (a knife honing jig) is the easiest way to get perfect bevels on small blades. The smaller the blade the more critical holding the blade in a fixed angle is.

If the edge is not cutting hair at 1k the bevel is not fully set. Look straight down on the edge, any reflection is where the bevels are not meeting.