Thread: Thickness of tape if used?

The first time I bought electrical tape for my razors, I asked for electrical insulation tape, and they gave me a black one, no clue about the company or thickness. Six or seven years later, now, happens EXACTLY the same (same shop, same brand probably, and that's important, stick with one type if you can't reset a bevel). As well as all the years in between, without any problems at all with underhoning or overhoning. No need for overthinking, and if you want varying thicknesses, use two pieces, one over the other. Or three.
It's just tape, and steel is actually wear resistant, your grandchildren won't have the problem of ruining the etching because the razor has been honed a lot. Don't worry about it, get the one more readily available, and everything will be fine.
If on the other hand you can find any good tapes that are wear resistant themselves, that would be a fine choice for edge restoration and coarser grits for the future.

Has anyone tried using adhesive teflon tape? Does it resist wear? Does wear resistant tape preserve the geometry of our bevels?

Alx

Originally Posted by Vasilis

and if you want varying thicknesses, use two pieces, one over the other. Or three.

I agree with everything else you wrote, but there is an admittedly slight advantage to using tapes if varying thickness. Rather than creating a visible microbevel by adding a second layer totaling 0.014 inches thick, I can create a much more subtle one by switching from 0.007 to 0.0085.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I agree with everything else you wrote, but there is an admittedly slight advantage to using tapes if varying thickness. Rather than creating a visible microbevel by adding a second layer totaling 0.014 inches thick, I can create a much more subtle one by switching from 0.007 to 0.0085.

You use tape when you don't want to waste precious metal, definitely from the spine, but sometimes from the edge too, fixing the edge with the least amount of steel lost. When you are using two, three or more layers of tape, it doesn't always means that you will be shaving with that X layers of tape edge. It's only for correcting the bevel in the majority of cases.
When your originally crooked bevel with the two tapes is correctly formed, you've wasted less metal and time if you compare it to using a tape that's a few tenths of a millimeter thicker, and keep honing and replacing until the job is done.
As for the thickness of the tape, I don't see a reason for someone to need the thinnest tape possible. I haven't seen a difference on shave, nor on the looks of the razor by changing the angle by a degree or so.
Also, a correct bevel formed using two tapes needs a few seconds to change from two layers to one, unless we are talking about a microtome or a full wedge (where the layer needs to be absolutely symmetrical and end at the exact same place every time you change it) so, again, it doesn't really matter.

Again, it can matter, but you ignored that part.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Again, it can matter, but you ignored that part.

So, please explain how does it matter? And, again, the microbevel, subtle or not disappears, since you decrease the angle, not increasing it. So, if you have the time, please do explain how it matters? Is the shave better? Does it save you time on the touch-ups? I consider it to be the tiniest detail that exists on razor honing.

Is there anyone who does not use tape??

I acknowledge the ever so slight spine wear which can be a result of sans tape, but I figure these razors are tools...and all tools will show signs of use. I mean, would you somehow try to cover up the sides of an axe to keep the paint often found there to keep from wearing??

Using tape just seems to make sense to me - both in terms of maintaining geometry and protecting fancy spines. You can lose a whole load of spine with a difficult bevel set - I don't see the point of not using tape in these circumstances.

As to the thickness issue, I think Glen has made the point on several occasions that if you start off with tape to protect the spine during bevel set - but then remove it for, say, 3k and above, the difference in angle is removed in no time. I think that's the same point Vasilis is making.

Originally Posted by Phoenix51

Is there anyone who does not use tape??

I acknowledge the ever so slight spine wear which can be a result of sans tape, but I figure these razors are tools...and all tools will show signs of use. I mean, would you somehow try to cover up the sides of an axe to keep the paint often found there to keep from wearing??

Yup. Many people don't use tape. I don't USUALLY but I am not opposed to using it either. I will use it when I have no idea how much honing it will take to establish a good bevel or for taking chips out. I remove it once everything is good to go and it takes less than a couple minutes to remove the micro bevel and continue in my honing progression. I don't think it has to be an either/or situation. It is another tool in the tool box for me.

I use 3M super 88 another good reason for using the better quality heavy duty tapes there's seems to be little or no abrasive transfer to the hone I've found with this particular make, I have had problems in the past with the cheaper brands so I just stick with this make.