david weaver
There are definitely some razors that probably wouldn't hold much different of an edge between .09 micron iron oxide and 0.5 chrome ox or 0.25 or thereabouts diamond.

Wedges are always a problem because the large bevel is counter to sharpening, and they're also usually a bit on the soft side compared to some of the later double hollow razors.

Razors have a reputation for being hard, but my guess from the steel is that very few are close to as hard as kamisoris are. Most are probably closer to Rc60, with the English razors usually being the softest, vintage american and solingen being next, and japanese razors following that (kamisoris being true 65 hardness, etc, when they're right and japanese western style razors a slight step down from that).

I think the pastes and such are more beneficial for wedges than anything else, because working through the large bevel makes it easy to get the bevel just right and the edge "meh", and even on balsa, the little bit of give is a really good way to get the last little bit. I do the same thing (I have two frioudur near wedges that never get all the way there off of the stones). In theory, you could spend 20 minutes honing one and checking on a scope, but it's not worth the trouble when doing what you describe is a lot easier and just as effective. They are stainless, and only about as hard as vintage sheffield wedges.