Ach! The whims of those who know their minds...
I usually just try a couple times and move on. Some razors give me a near perfect shave right off the rip so I don't put time into changing my angle, shaving style, etc..Why not hold on to it for a month or so and try it a few more time playing with the angle? I almost sold mine after the first two or three uses but then ended up keeping it and it became my daily driver.
This is an interesting observation and I think you are right in that once you find the correct angle, the razor can be quite aggressive and must used with absolutely no pressure.AS-D2 is mild and aggressive at the same time. Aggressive because of the fairly large gap and mild because of this angle and blade exposure.