Yes, pressure is always an issue for folks, new to honing. Lately, with guys I have hands on coached, they do not use enough pressure, to bevel set or at the beginning of each progression.
It is impossible to tell someone what is enough or the amount, of pressure to use on a particular razor at a particular time, except for, more or less, after witnessing the results.
Torqueing is a form of pressure, just that the majority of pressure is on the bevel, not equally on the spine and bevel. It can have its issues, as well.
As said, pressure needed varies constantly, depending on many factors, mainly the honer, but especially the razor. You have to do what the razor/bevel/edge needs, at that time, depending on what your goal is and what you see.
For example, setting a bevel on a razor, that has been bread-knifed, will require more pressure, than one that has not had edge repair and the bevels are meeting, flat and in the same plane. And even the same bread-knifed edge will need more pressure at the beginning, than at the finishing of the bevel set.
Also for most stones in the progression, I start with more pressure, at the beginning of each stone use, and taper off, as the finish on the bevel progresses, and use less pressure than the previous stone, but not always.
Again, you have to do, what the razor needs. As you gain more experience you will be able to read the bevel and tell how much and in which direction you need to apply pressure, more or less.
Yes, the amount of pressure can be measured, for a particular task, on a particular razor, but that requirement will change with each razor, even razors of the same type, size and style, made by the same maker, at the same time. Hell, even on the same razor, from one side to the other.
Probably better than, focusing on quantifying pressure, you would have more consistent results, by understanding what you are seeing at the bevel, then correcting the pressure, by adding more or less. How you add pressure, does not matter all that much, as long as the spine is protected with tape.
I would be curious to see your ruined razors, because unless you used excessive pressure on very low grit stones, you would have seen, that you were going in the wrong direction.
Again, looking at the results, will tell you what to do next, doing the same thing and expecting different results, does not work.
Here is a good post, by a new honer, taking a razor from start to finish with lots of excellent micrographs showing his progress, issues with the razor and how he overcame them.
Second Try at Honing.
