Thread: Why tape the spine?

Originally Posted by Bart

Here's a recent observation. 2 weeks ago, I had to hone a brand new TI Silverwing for one of the members here. I honed it up with a pretty standard procedure without any use of tape.
When finished, the edge looked impeccable under the stereo microscope but after the test shave, which was great, reexamination under magnification revealed some microscopical chips randomly missing from the very edge, obviously caused by the collision with my hard whiskers. Possibly, the Silverwings, being so high up the Rockwell scale, have a tendency for being brittle.

Anyway, I went back to redo the final honing stages, with a layer of tape added to the spine. The next test shave felt just as smooth as the first, but what struck me the most was that the chipping tendency was completely gone. I expected some improvement, but not that I'd find zero discernible edge deterioration this time.

Of course this is just one individual observation, but it shows me that taping can affect edge durability before any other changes in the shaving comfort are showing up at my personal test shave radar.

I informed the owner that he needs to reapply the tape whenever he wants to touch-up the razor and included the tape so he has no issues with variable tape thickness.

Bart.

That makes sense because tape increases the angle, and a more obtuse angle = stronger edge in terms of cross section.

Originally Posted by Leighton

That makes sense because tape increases the angle, and a more obtuse angle = stronger edge in terms of cross section.

OMG

I think maybe "somebody" has been saying that exact thing for almost 18 months.....

He gets it!!!!! yea I can sleep tonight....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

OMG

I think maybe "somebody" has been saying that exact thing for almost 18 months.....

He gets it!!!!! yea I can sleep tonight....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

He gets it!!!!!

Well, let's not be too hasty. You can sleep tonight but don't take it for granted

Has anyone tried using PTFE tape? It's thinner, but I'm not sure how you could make it stay in place.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Well, let's not be too hasty. You can sleep tonight but don't take it for granted

Me neither.
What I shared, was one observation on one specific razor, still with the factory edge, if I recall.
For all I know the first edge I honed on it could have been not in the most solid of steels, and honing it a bit further cleared up that situation.
But I felt the observation was worth sharing.
Now, if someone could come up with a razor that's always brittle when honed without tape and never when honed with tape, that would be very interesting indeed.

I do agree with the basic rule that obtuser equals stronger, BUT, it may require a greater force to do the severing, which might counteract the extra ruggedness.
I know out of my practice as a longtime woodworker, that each wood species has its best bevel angle when it comes to planing: too acute and the edge quickly chips, too obtuse and the edge quickly rounds and burnishes. Maybe the same principles apply for shaving, I don't know. For woodwork, I'm talking about noticeable differences within 5 degree increments. We're talking about 1 degree increments, but then again, we are using an edge guided by one of our sensorially most developed body parts (the finger tips) to shave hair of one of our most sensitive body parts (the face).

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Now, if someone could come up with a razor that's always brittle when honed without tape and never when hone with tape, that would be very interesting indeed.

I don't think you can ever get into definites with this hobby, anytime you do something will pop it's ugly little head up and prove it wrong...
You can speak to generalities and you can speak to "I have found in most cases" but as soon as you get to "this is the way it is" something changes...

Now all that being said, I have found in most cases, that using one layer of tape works best for me and my honing style.... It gives me the sharpest longest lasting edges, and the least amount of hone wear and spine wear.... Now you and your style might find this to be untrue, but it doesn't change a thing for me...
I have tried it both ways, and tape works best for me...
what I find interesting is the two people on here that hone more razors than most others combined, can't even agree on this, Lynn does not use tape, and I do.... Maybe the other really busy honemiesters will chime in??? Dan??? Chis???
We both get good, sharp, long lasting edges.... and that is the end all be all of the hobby.....

Try it both ways and see what works for you....
when you have tried 100 razors one way then 100 the other then make your own decision which way you like best...

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Has anyone tried using PTFE tape? It's thinner, but I'm not sure how you could make it stay in place.

Electrical tape will hold it in place.

I did try scotch tape but it doesn't lend itself to making the fold without wrinkling or to sticking well with the water encountered.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Try it both ways and see what works for you....
when you have tried 100 razors one way then 100 the other then make your own decision which way you like best...

Or leave it undecided... that's what I do.

But it sure is nice to discuss these things, wouldn't you agree?
I look at taping as an available option. The more I can learn about when that option is beneficial, the better.
- It's a great option for protecting ornamental spines.
- It's the cornerstone of my recent "one coticule" procedure
- It's something to be tried on a "brittle" edge
- It's a big help for honing full wedges.
- other options?

What it is not for me, is a dogma. Whether that dogma favors tape or not.

Bart.