So, tape against tape and it's not too much friction? That's something I'd like to try. I use Excel Orange (#4) on my thumb but not for friction... for padding. I sometimes have to layer Excel on the thumb, and it's not really great for that. (Insert tincture of Benzoin horror stories here...)
If you use tape on thumb and in the ball without issues, then my padding problem might be solved. Did I hear that right?