I try not to torque my hardware down too tight, I don't like stress cracks.
I tighten just enough for the bolt heads to sit flush and stop.
On occasion I'll have to re-tighten my hardware after a few weeks of skating a new deck, not always, but sometimes.
Gripping over the bolts is not an option for me.
Plus I just like seeing my bolts. Looking down at a gripped deck with no bolts would be like looking at a hand with no fingernails, it doesn't look clean it looks weird haha
I also only screw my axel bolts on until they're flush with the axel.
I hate it when the ends of the axel mushroom out from landing primo and keeping the bolt flush prevents that.
My wheels have a lot of play, I can shake my board back and forth and it's so rattly it sounds like a maraca, but I've never noticed any effect on my skating.