Search:

Indeed, must cut hair. I also find the thumb nail test valuable, it's easy too feel if your blade is sharp or not along the edge.

And yeah, the last few strokes on the 1k is def. lighter than the first.

After 1k I use way less pressure for sure, a tiny bit at 2k maybe, bur from there just enough to keep the blade evenly on the hone.

There's your problem, when setting a bevel, pressure is your friend. Don't be afraid to torque it down quite a bit.