If a new honer thought he was using a lot of pressure, then he was more than likely using way too much. When I first started honing, it was nothing to spend 2 hours a day for weeks, just trying to make one razor shave some arm hair.

Should it take that long? Nope. But you're new. And more than likely you're doing something wrong. Try more pressure if you like. See if that fixes it. If it doesn't, then go the opposite way, and use a very dainty touch. See if that works. If neither works, then you've got some other problem besides a pressure issue.

What you should definitely NOT do, is buy any other stone, in hopes it'll fix the problem.