Aren't spine wear a good thing? To have the same angle even if the blade gets ground down. Like maintaning a primary bevel on knifes. I imagine if the temper are kinda even then the edge will be ground of more then the spine every time it's sharpened?
Can see the point in using the tape only with the fine stones, to get some edge to work on fast, but it's used mainly on the course stones?

Btw what kind of lupe are good in magnification terms?