tape when hone

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:42 am

How many of you use tape on spine as a regular thing when you hone?

I'm experimenting. For the most part historically I only used tape on my W&B wedges because needed to create an angle (and I used two layers on one and three on the other because it is as close as you can get to a pure wedge).

Recently I used one just as a last polishing step on a 1/2 hollow ator that i had honed ok but missing something, and that last 50 escher laps with tape made a difference. But gnerally I'm happy with the results of honing most of my razors with no tape ever.

I've never done the one layer of tape on all razors all the way through the honing process thing. Some seem to do this as a matter of course, some seem to think it will change a razors geometry (though I don't know that that means really).

What's the SMF practice on tape use?

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:39 am

I used to tape and now can't be bothered. For general honing you won't every wear enough metal off to notice. If you have to remove a chip though it is a different story.

Pudu · Post by **Pudu** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:54 am

I tape the old razors that I have sanded and polished back to life simply because it takes so long to get them looking smooth and shiny - I dislike the thought of "marring" the shine immediately after achieving it - but that is just my stupid hang up. If you always tape, and hone a significant amount (either to remove a chip or simply over the long life of a razor), you are removing metal from the edge but not the spine so the angle gradually steepens. But it isn't anything I personally worry about.

I almost always use the "Bart-method" - adding an additional tape layer to all my razors for a last final polish on the coticule whenever honing. I find it really does smooth out the edge nicely and gives a longer lasting edge that doesn't get chewed up as quickly.

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:23 am

i'm removing my question because I realized I hadn't read your post carefully.

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:47 am

One layer of tape for hones and pastes, then remove it for final stropping.

Chris

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:32 pm

drmoss_ca wrote:One layer of tape for hones and pastes, then remove it for final stropping.

Chris

thanks! so I take it you aren't concerned about changing the geometry of the blade?

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:36 pm

I think I change it for the better! Tim Z. has calculated "A piece of 0.006" electric tape is worth 0.92 degrees on a 6/8 razor." It will be less on the big razors I favour.

Chris

xChris · Post by **xChris** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:43 pm

Sometimes depends on the razor for me, but I usually use a single layer of tape when honing.

EL Alamein · Post by **EL Alamein** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:03 pm

drmoss_ca wrote:One layer of tape for hones and pastes, then remove it for final stropping.

Chris

+1

Although this is a recent practice to which I have been converted. For the prior 25 years I used no tape whatsoever.

Chris

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:27 am

El Alamein,

Did you switch to protect your spines or did you switch because you think it works better?

EL Alamein · Post by **EL Alamein** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:13 pm

loueedacat1 wrote:El Alamein,

Did you switch to protect your spines or did you switch because you think it works better?

Works better.

Chris

yohannrjm · Post by **yohannrjm** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:13 am

I'm relatively new to honing straights, and initially I honed without the tape. I got okay results, but since switching to taping the spine, I get much better results --- sharper razors.

Now this is at least in part because I'm not starting honing from scratch. My razors already have some bevel to start with. They're not shave ready before I begin honing, and they are very shave ready after I'm done (8K, very fine barber's hone, C12K, and then CrO).

The bevels were probably set with the tape on.

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:01 am

Just out of curiosity, where are you buying beveled but unhoned razors? Are you buying new razors and just referring to the factory bevel?

I think going from tape at lower grit to no tape at higher grit is a recipe for trouble as your finishing hones won't touch the edge. No tape at lower grits and tape at higher grits is the old double bevel strategy.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:14 am

I'm new to honing, but enjoy the experience of being able to shave with one that I honed. I do not mind at all sending a newly purchased razor to the honemeister though. I've come across a couple of flea market or antique store razors that appeared to have never been honed, but still carrying just the bevel that was on the razor since new. To answer your question, I can't bring myself to hone without tape. When I pick up a razor that's had the daylights honed out of it, the hone wear on the spine just repulses me. There was a Bill Ellis custom razor recently listed on B&B that had been unmercifully honed without tape, and it was a very sad sight to see. Still a very valuable and beautiful stainless razor, but the act of sharpening a razor like that without regard for the damage being done seemed quite thoughtless and amateurish.

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:10 am

I think the badly overhoned ones were just honed by someone that hadn't learned to do it yet. If they'd used tape they would have just mangled the edge more I think. I've only been honing for a year plus, so I still probably remove more metal than I should, but when you are just learning it's easy to hone years off the life of an innocent razor without meaning to.

The guys that are really good at honing don't remove too much spine no matter how they do it.

Pete_T · Post by **Pete_T** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:05 pm

I don't tape, usually. You've got to use the stuff anytime you want to touch up the blade. Too much bother.