You probably could have stopped with the 8K and then stropped the razor. Did you strop after the 12K? Depending on your stropping skill I would look there first for your problem. Send either one or both razors out to a honemeister to bring them back up to snuff and then pay attention to your stropping and go slow, speed comes with time and experience. As far as the HHT, are you checking all along the edge or just in one spot? You may be applying pressure to one spot on the edge both in stropping and in honing, common problem.