ugh...a tape thread...

[SirStropalot]

I use tape on all my razors, usually 1 layer because most are new or NOS and I just don't like hone wear on the spine. Some don't, others like me do and since it's a preference thing I don't think anyone is wrong. But occasionally and I'll take my Civil War era Sheffield as an example, passed down through the family by the way, as one that I use 3 or maybe 4 layers on. The spine is so worn that to try and hone it without tape is to hone a 3/16"+/- bevel. It takes for ever and really creates a wider, very thin edge. By adding 3 and I think I actually used 4 layers last time (and I know that it gets spongie there) I am re-establishing a temporary spine to lift it up enough to narrow the bevel and make honing much faster and in my mind a more durable edge by having the the thinnest part of the edge narrower in bevel width. It does change the geometry enough to work. It works for me anyway!

Regards,

Howard