Search:

All vintage strops were made with the grain running one way. IIRC the grain lies flat on the return stroke. I don't know the reasoning but I don't think you can make a better mousetrap by reversing...

You're only under stropping if the shave is poor. your process may be perfectly adequate.

Really depends on the razor & how recently its been honed. I think I rarely strop any 2 razors the same amount of strokes but I guess from 5 - 50 approx would be the range.