Originally Posted by
FloorPizza
The distance from the very edge to the shoulder of the bevel would be shorter than without the tape. I would think (but I have no proof) that this would cause the edge to be more fragile. It could also just be that I used a very soft blade for this experiment. One that I had not sharpened nor shaved with before, so it could just be that it is a particularly soft steel. I think I'll re-hone it without the tape, through a full course on the Shaptons and see if it still requires stropping during the shave.
Sheesh, the more I think about this the more I think you're right, Utopian... having the extra thickness further out should make it stronger..
On another note, I just got done honing three more blades on a different coticule using this method. This coticule is much faster than my other one, but usually doesn't finish out as well. For some reason, they do feel smoother than the finish I usually get from this stone. Could the extra angle added from the tape make a difference in the smoothness of the edge the stone gives?
The more I hone, the more questions I have, and the more I'm convinced I don't know anything... and I can prove it.