I think that's a good plan. When I watch shaving videos and read the Library here, I notice everyone is using or recommends short strokes. For people just starting out, I can see the point of that. Once you get the hang of it, and it does take some time, you can graduate to longer strokes. I now go from the top of my cheek to the bottom of my neck and back up ATG (after re-lathering) in one stroke. While newbies probably should not attempt this right off, it is a goal to pursue. Multiple short strokes over the same area force the blade to shave skin that has no lather on it. I can see how irritation could result from that. HOWEVER, if your blade is causing tugging, pulling or pain while cutting whiskers, your blade is just not sharp enough. When you have a really sharp blade, the experience of cutting whiskers seems a non-event.

Although your stropping may be done "very finely", and that is good, what matters is the technique and not so much the pressure. Any blade that starts off sharp and degrades with stropping puts the stropping technique into question. Stropping should make the blade feel sharper.