Sounds like you are at least aware of one of the hardest things for novice honers to learn, pressure. Just remember after bevel setting everything is polishing. That and a razor edge is really very fragile.

It is not necessary to keep the strop super taught, blade pressure is more important… less is more.

Blade grind and weight seem to go in cycles, most new guys prefer the wide heavy blades then gravitate to smaller thinner grinds.

The difference for me is like driving a nimble sports car and a Hummer.