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Start off dry, then add water as you go, only by little drop amounts. If you want to face lather, apply the soap to your face and if it's too dry spread the brush hairs a little and add some drops...

This sounds like a water issue, I mean too much of it. Try using too little and adding little drops every thirty swirls or so.

Have you ever tried the unicot method as mentioned on bart's website, coticule.be? It seems right up your alley! The whole honing routine is done on a coticule from bevel to finish.