I'm not an expert honer but I've now done quite a few straights.
My preference is not to use tape but if it is a Damascus blade or something with gold wash that might get scratched off, then I do use one layer of electrical tape. If I use tape, then I leave it of for the whole honing progression so as not to change the angle.
When I first started honing, I used tape up to and including the 4k hone and then taking it off and could understand why I couldn't get an edge sharp enough to shave with.
So, either tape the whole way or no tape the whole way.