Thread: Taping the spine is ok or not?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I'm not aware of any damage when taping. But here is my dilemma. Once you really know how to hone and you stop damaging the spine with the stone, what is the purpose for using tape?

Any situation in which you don't want hone wear - gold wash, worked back, damascus, maybe a restored razor that is mirrored, maybe to maintain uniform patina on a vintage blade (I had one that was all totally blackened and I taped that so it was a black blade with a very shiny bevel - looked cool imo).

I dunno if this has any merit, I haven't noticed it, but something Sham told me a while back makes me think....
I didn't really care about "swarfed" stones til I asked Sham his opinion and he let me know it was bad because we can't control how it swarfs, so part of the stone will be more swarfed than the rest, and so you get an uneven cut over the stone. I like this theory and while I'm not very experienced or can even feel the difference it makes sense.
Because tape is plastic-y maybe when you hone it onto the stone (inevitably) it has a similar effect if you're not careful?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I'm not aware of any damage when taping. But here is my dilemma. Once you really know how to hone and you stop damaging the spine with the stone, what is the purpose for using tape?

+1 exactly. OTOH, if I were honing for other people (for money or not) I would probably ask whether they preferred tape on not.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

As far as the geometry question - I don't think it's relevant for me. Once a razor is shave ready, I can't imagine how many touchups it would take to noticibly decrease the size of a blade. I also don't shave frequently with any one razor (I hardly use my own because I'm always trying to find new ones to add to my rotation... which I hardly actually use), so touchups are few and far between (I've never actually had to touch one up, except when I got my new Asagi).

I'm actually curious if anyone has used and re-honed any single razor to the extent that it has noticably decreased in width (excluding say, dinging the edge or damaging it in some other way). Maybe I'll make a poll about that... Would that go under honing or razors?

Excellent point, for those of us that hone and use multiple razors .... and know how to hone .... chances of causing appreciable wear are slim and none. OTOH, for a shaver with one or maybe two razors it might be a different story. Dylan,the poll is a good idea.

I hate tape. I see no value to it except under two circumstances. 1-like others have said to protect fancy or intricate patterns or Gold Washing on the spine 2-I find with my Zowada Razors if I don't use tape the edge is extremely prone to microchipping through ordinary use.

It really is one or the other. When learning I think tape is of spectacular use. When wisened it does neither harm nor good except it can be at the master's whim. I understand why many have never given it a second thought after dismissing it. When you wish a quick touch up in the den it can be a let down to realize you must tape. Tape spoils the purist's pursuit. But it has uses just as does monofiliment over silk line for fishing.....