Thanks for all the help, and I now appreciate that the spine serves as a guide, with or without tape, to establish the angle for the bevel.

My question is "What effect does that have on the spine, not so much regarding whether it is or is not reduced, but on how it looks?"

What if I take a brand new, all fancied-up Dubl Duck, with special scales on it and all, and attempt to hone it? Will that pretty blade be scratched up, the mirror finish ruined, by a couple passes at 400 grit without tape on the spine? And at what point in variable grit levels is disfiguring the mirror finish of the blade no longer a problem?

Sorry to be so persistent about this, but I would hate to hone a beautiful
blade and make it less pretty in the process.