I can do nothing here beyond offering my procedure and results. I never have used pastes or sprays of any kind. I strop my EDC knives with them but never my razors.
I hone through the Naniwa SS 12K then finish with 20 strokes on the Gokumyo 20K. I then strop on plain leather, 50 laps after honing, 100 after each shave. I find no harshness in the edge coming off the 20K, get wonderful shaves from it, and it has laid my expensive Escher to permanent rest.