How can you tell if a razor was honed using the tape method?
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How can you tell if a razor was honed using the tape method?
Well if you tape it you are safe. If it was honed without tape and you touch it up with tape you will create a micro bevel. A technique that many use to get the last little bit out of an edge. If it was honed with tape and you touch it up with tape you are again in the safe. If you look with a loupe after you start it will show the micro bevel starting. I always start with the loupe, best to look before you leap.
If you know where it came from, you could always ask. If I have to sell a blade and I hone it first, I always let the person know and what thickness it was as a courtesy.
You can ask the last honer, or you can use tape and be safe, as Shaun pointed out.
Awesome! Thanks for the heads up. This is my first time honing (down the rabbit hole i have gone) Ill let you all know how it goes!
It can be really hard to tell without asking, as those above have stated. Some hones can leave a trace on the spine that matches the edge (same finish...sometimes a flat line that is foggy, other times mirror polished depending on hones used)...if it matches precisely it is a clue...though even then, it can be traces left from previous honing, original grinding, etc.
So...long story short, either ask, or just start over at the 1k-ish level and do a whole bevel set from scratch.
No, you don't really need to drop down as far as a 1k bevel set. Even a bit of honing at the 4k level will correct the angle when transitioning from a taped to an untaped bevel angle. As stated above, if you are transitioning in the reverse order, from untaped to taped, then no angle correction is necessary.
Fair point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
By coloring your bevel with a permanent marker you can actually see where you're sharpening. So try color razor bevel and than make few strokes on finisher stone (razor without tape). You will see where color is removed.Quote:
Originally Posted by NarcanHammer
1. color removed from whole bevel- razor sharpened without tape
2. removed only line closer spine - razor sharpened with tape
Color can be removed by alcohol after test.
Atercz - neat trick, thanks for sharing it.
Be sure to use a dye type Magic Permanent Marker. The dye will not chip off like the enamel type with a particulate ink/paint/Quote:
Originally Posted by atercz
If you can kinda see through the marker you are good to go. Usually they smell a bit like alcohol or acetone.
~Richard
I know your original question was how can you tell but this is a good watch....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMchDtXzUO4 It is really no sweat to do it either way you like. As mentioned just drop to the 4k for a couple swipes and away you go! Enjoy.... honing is such a fun (and useful) skill to learn!
Does not matter, if you are learning, put 2 layers of tape on the spine. When new to honing, you will most probably use too much pressure and do too many laps, on low grit stones and needlessly grind the spine if tape is not used.
Once you master honing, then decide if you want to continue honing with tape. At the least you will not damage the spines of your razors. Really there is no “good” reason for not using tape, when learning.
Do change tape at the slightest dragging of the razor on the stone or bits of tape swarf in the water or excessive stone loading. Tape is much cheaper that new razors.
Ditto to the prior. At one point, I thought all razors that couldn't hone without tape were defective (notwithstanding the comment above about saving the spine when you're new, that's important). I've got one right now that will not hold an edge without tape, but it does fantastically with a couple of layers of tape (won't hold an edge with one, either). It's a kikuboshi razor, or I'd have thrown it away. So I'd go with the recommendation for two layers - will probably make an edge that's more resilient against minor stropping, and the edge will be a bit less bitey, but still smooth.
If I were honing a new razor (some come from the factory with a second-ish bevel), I'd get a loupe out and drag the razor across a semi finisher and see where the haze shows up. You've only got to do it one time unless you start taping some razors and not others and then you don't keep track of what's what.