Thread: Honing and stropping question

Unless the proportions of the blade are really out of range the tape is to protect the spine not to change the angle. Gotta keep them looking pretty!

An improperly designed razor which for example would have jimps in the wrong place could also be a reason to protect your strop.

On my Crox pasted paddle strop I use tape but never on my hanging strop, it flexes enough to compensate.

On razors that needed lots of tape layers (3+) I will give the strop a bit more slack to compensate for the tape that was there during honing.

Leaving the tape on might put tape residue on the strop which would be a bad thing

Realy got me curious on how much would a lauer of tape raise the angle.
So I calculated for a 1 inch blade and 0.25mm thick electrical tape(seems to be a good average)

It came out every layer adds 0.56degrees.

Circumference is 2 pi R
Pi is roughly 3.1416
R is the 25.4 mm wide blade.
So I divided the circumferince to the width of the tape and found up how many layers would stack upto rorm a 360degree circle
Then divided by 360 to get the number of layers per degree...I got 1.7 layers per degree...
That comes up to 0.56 degree on a 1 inch blade...using 0.25mm thick tape...or I stink at marth.
So Bob...you are actualy pretty close...
This can go near 1 degree if using a less wider blade

Some use tape when honing, others never use tape. I prefer not to use tape except when honing quarter hollow razors. If I purchase a razor that has been honed with tape, when it needs to be honed, I reset the bevel without tape. That way, I do not have to use tape when refreshing the edge.

Discussions about tape always makes me think about those really worn / dished / heavily used stones you sometimes see.

That must have the same effect as adding quite a few layers of tape

Originally Posted by ovidiucotiga

Realy got me curious on how much would a lauer of tape raise the angle.
So I calculated for a 1 inch blade and 0.25mm thick electrical tape(seems to be a good average)

It came out every layer adds 0.56degrees.

Circumference is 2 pi R
Pi is roughly 3.1416
R is the 25.4 mm wide blade.
So I divided the circumferince to the width of the tape and found up how many layers would stack upto rorm a 360degree circle
Then divided by 360 to get the number of layers per degree...I got 1.7 layers per degree...
That comes up to 0.56 degree on a 1 inch blade...using 0.25mm thick tape...or I stink at marth.
So Bob...you are actualy pretty close...
This can go near 1 degree if using a less wider blade

Thank you.

The easy way is to download the Exel (bevel angle calculation) file from here http://coticule.be/wedges.html . I do stink at math so take the easy way when I can Using a layer of electrical tape really makes a very minor difference in bevel angle unless the razor's geometry is really out of whack.

Bob

Originally Posted by RayClem

Some use tape when honing, others never use tape. I prefer not to use tape except when honing quarter hollow razors. If I purchase a razor that has been honed with tape, when it needs to be honed, I reset the bevel without tape. That way, I do not have to use tape when refreshing the edge.

This seems to be a good option and sounds like it may be the way I'll go. From what I understand it is not that difficult to reset the bevel. I plan on looking through some antique shops for razors I can practice on - my wife has bought me a Norton 220/1000 and 4000/8000 hones with a flattening stone for my birthday.

Gary

Originally Posted by GaryDrainville

This seems to be a good option and sounds like it may be the way I'll go. From what I understand it is not that difficult to reset the bevel. I plan on looking through some antique shops for razors I can practice on - my wife has bought me a Norton 220/1000 and 4000/8000 hones with a flattening stone for my birthday.

Gary

Keep in mind that some razors with moderate hone wear will hone badly without tape as the bevel will get to thin and be fragile and crumble apart

I use tape in two cases
1) if the blade a of significant value and spine wear would reduce the value. I do this with my fili's
2) if the blade steel is soft enough that a layer or two of tape increasing the angle of the bevel would benefit the durability of the edge. I do this typically with custom and newer blades

I prefer to hone without tape as the feedback and feel is just so much more telling. I never use tape to strop for the reasons listed above. Strops are forgiving by nature as they're intended to straighten the blade and not actually remove much material, the degree of angle created by the addition of a layer of tape would be negligible if you're using only light pressure like you should be. Never had an issue doing things this way.

Tape. LOL. This is a topic that can get volatile real quick around here. So before anyone loses it, I'm not here to debate the issue. Please know that. I use tape every time I hone. And yes, its initially to keep from wearing the spine. However, that's not all its there for. As your honing you may notice that you're not getting a good edge. Maybe its chipping. Or maybe you can't get a bevel. The answer is often resolved with a layer or two of tape. No the angle doesn't change very much but its often just enough to give the edge the strength it needs to get you over the hump. I use it as I see necessary and never give it s second thought. I know that some say that you're changing the geometry of the blade by using it. But I doubt you will ever find that a problem. Your great grand kids might but you won't.