I finally feel like I'm within striking distance of shave ready. I'm able to get the razor to shave, but it pulls quite a bit and doesn't get very close, even after several passes.

When I do the hanging hair test on a bristle from my boar hair shave brush, the edge either catches the hair, snags, and then cuts the hair cleanly (but it requires a bit of force to make it go) or it snags it and then splits it, cutting only partway through and then making it peel back.

What do I need to do to get that last bit of sharpness?

I'm using my Japanese 4/8k waterstones right now, holding them one at a time in my hand, and using the X-pattern. (The Norton is giving me problems. It seems like it's easier for me to control the pressure when I'm holding the stone.)

I'm doing pyramids and trying to use no pressure at all.

Also, when you're doing the hanging hair test, how fast should you move the hair? It seems like I have to pull it down with quite a bit of force to get it to cut cleanly.