Thread: Honing and stropping question

If electrical tape is used when honing a razor - why is it not important to use tape when stropping the razor?

I was just thinking about this when I watched a video where it was explained that when maintaining a honed razor I should stick to whatever the razor was honed with.

Gary

I've been wondering the same, esp when multiple layers of tape are used.

A hone is hard and presumably flat. When you strop, you are using a material that has some flexibility like balsa wood, cloth or leather. While tape does change the apex angle of the edge slightly when honing, the flexibility of the stropping material is generally sufficient to accommodate the slight change in angle when stropping.

I use basswood for my my 0.25 micron CBN pasted strop. Basswood is less flexible than balsa, so in that case, it might be helpful to use tape if the razor was honed with tape. For leather and fabric strops, there is no need to be concerned.

Originally Posted by RayClem

A hone is hard and presumably flat. When you strop, you are using a material that has some flexibility like balsa wood, cloth or leather. While tape does change the apex angle of the edge slightly when honing, the flexibility of the stropping material is generally sufficient to accommodate the slight change in angle when stropping.

I use basswood for my my 0.25 micron CBN pasted strop. Basswood is less flexible than balsa, so in that case, it might be helpful to use tape if the razor was honed with tape. For leather and fabric strops, there is no need to be concerned.

Thanks, I never considered the flexing of the strop and makes complete sense.

Gary

Tape really does not change the angle that much, it's mostly used by guys that either hone for someone or hone there own razor to keep spine wear away but sometines a layer or two is needed to get the bevel angle correct but that's another story and as stated not necessary to use when stropping.

Originally Posted by Jnatcat

Tape really does not change the angle that much, it's mostly used by guys that either hone for someone or hone there own razor to keep spine wear away but sometines a layer or two is needed to get the bevel angle correct but that's another story and as stated not necessary to use when stropping.

For maintaining a razor is it recommended that tape be used if the razor was initially honed that way? I've just received a Kamisori from Brian Brown (awesome razor with my two shaves by the way) and he had a note included with the razor stating it was honed using tape - is this info for when further touch ups are done? However, my decent razors will not see s hone by me - not yet anyway.

Gary

I personaly dont use the tape when stropping....it can get friction burned/worn and i'd hate to have glue from underneath the tape contamine the leather...or small plastic shavings....

Like most of the fine gentlemen here have mentioned....the stropp has some give to it...a hard paddle strop less...a cut paddle stropp a bit more...a loom strop a bit more...and a hanging strop...well how much you need...the amount of ''give''is adjusted by hand tension.

It would be correct to use the tape when stropping especialy when multiple layers were used....in theory it would be logical....
In practice I have seen no diffrence or improvement in using the tape when stropping...I doo use hanging strops...I have not used a hard paddle strop in @5-6years...so I cant speek for that...but even on a hard paddle the leather should have a bit of give to it and manage to hit the edge.

Try it both ways...see what you like best...I personaly hate rubbing plastic on my precious stropps

Originally Posted by ovidiucotiga

I personaly dont use the tape when stropping....it can get friction burned/worn and i'd hate to have glue from underneath the tape contamine the leather...or small plastic shavings....

Like most of the fine gentlemen here have mentioned....the stropp has some give to it...a hard paddle strop less...a cut paddle stropp a bit more...a loom strop a bit more...and a hanging strop...well how much you need...the amount of ''give''is adjusted by hand tension.

It would be correct to use the tape when stropping especialy when multiple layers were used....in theory it would be logical....
In practice I have seen no diffrence or improvement in using the tape when stropping...I doo use hanging strops...I have not used a hard paddle strop in @5-6years...so I cant speek for that...but even on a hard paddle the leather should have a bit of give to it and manage to hit the edge.

Try it both ways...see what you like best...I personaly hate rubbing plastic on my precious stropps

Thank for the reply, I was more curious than anything really. I can't imagine using electrical tape with my strop - have been getting decent results so no tape, based only on my newbie experience level. lol

Originally Posted by GaryDrainville

If electrical tape is used when honing a razor - why is it not important to use tape when stropping the razor?

I was just thinking about this when I watched a video where it was explained that when maintaining a honed razor I should stick to whatever the razor was honed with.

Gary

The short answer is the strop flexes.

In the case of a balsa strop or hard backed leather strop it might be a question if you are
using them to extend your hone kit into the very fine range.

If you inspect a lot of paddle strops (leather on wood) some will have rather thin
wood under the leather to allow it to give a bit.

As thin as tape is it is less of a problem than it might sound. Tape also wears
so is thinner in use than when measured.

Good question...