Sounds like your rounding off the edges by using too much pressure. It takes super light pressure, only the weight of the blade, to sharpen a convex blade. Now FYI I am no expert, I have my first true convex blades in the mail (Bravo-1 and Gunny) but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night..............and watched tons of sharpening videos on Youtube <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Seriously, from what I have seen, just lift the spine ever so slightly until the edge just touches the strop and then use the weight of the blade to strop.

When you say you held it flat and then at a 45* angle, do you mean the blade? It should be more like a 10*-15* angle you hold the blade at. I suggest watching some videos on Youtube.