Any wisdom here to share when it comes to hand tapping with roll taps?

I ordered some 1/4-20 and 10-32 ones to play with. I was having problems
with threads being stripped out of an aluminum pipe with a 1/4-20 bolt
with a knob that's used to clamp onto an inner cylinder.

Are a couple drops of cutting oil suitable as lubricant?

It seems some of these taps have flutes, some don't. Does it matter much?