To make a correct comparison you need to hold either Pitch or Diameter constant. Neither one in itself will equate to higher speed, or higher torque.
Here is the correct relationship.
Consider a 16 inch diameter prop, and assume a prop speed of 9,000 RPM. At that RPM, a higher pitch will result in higher airspeed for the airplane. A lower pitch will result in more torque (vertical pulling power).

General rule, for torque use a larger diameter, low pitch prop.
For speed, use a smaller diameter, high pitch prop. In either case, prop the engine to peak out in its recommended RPM range.

When you are flying Knife Edge, you are flying mostly on the prop. The fuselage side provides minimal lift, and the wings of course none. You want a prop that will provide more torque, and the nose will need to point up enough to keep the plane at altitude. A fuselage with a smaller side area will have to be flown with the nose higher in knife edge to maintain altitude. The more side area the fuselage has, the less nose up the plane needs to be. Also, the ratio of Vertical fin to Rudder is important. Too much vertical fin will blanket the rudder in knife edge and reduce its effectiveness, and increased airspeed will aggravate this problem.