I am thinking that when you come off the diamond pasted balsa it is too sharp or harsh. Needs twice the passes on leather that I've normally given it, and even then, the second shave is better than the first after a refresh. I normally go 1mic /half /qtr/0.1um then 25 on linen and 50 on bovine but it's too much I think. I might try just using the 0.5um and then 100 laps on leather.
I've got a Welsh slate to try for my next hone, but I need to set aside some time to get to grips with it. The balsa is a quick fix for tired edges that I can do instead of sending the razors out, but I believe I'll get a better smoother edge if I get the time to learn the slate. I will try to go down to see John June at some point and see if he can show me the best way.