Thread: Tape or no tape?

I personally don't use tape except on a custom or any razor where the look of the blade is important.

Take Care,
Richard

Originally Posted by Stubear

I've got a little book I keep with all the razors I have in it, and I make a note of how many layers of tape I've used in there..

Great idea. I don't use tape anymore but I am trying to discipline myself to record the results of the marker test on each blade (so I don't have to repeat it to figure out the proper stroke) and which hones I've used on that particular razor.

I'm not much of a fan of taping. Just a few razors I have to preserve the fancywork or gold wash on the spine and a couple with double bevels that really need the tape.

Thanks for great advises. I just cant imagine my self not using any tape to hone, a specially after spending 10 hours of hand sanding on restoration to put an extra line on a spine. I guess my goal is to completely preserve the craftsmanship of the razor.

There is an interesting duality here - preserving the craftsmanship of a razor with tape and yet doing a restoration on it... Hone wear is a normal part of razors, as is aging. Not saying there is a right or wrong, it's just interesting.

On restored blades with heavy grinds, I'd tape too.

There is a very useful Excel sheet over at coticule.be. It is part of an article about honing wedges that you might find useful.

Originally Posted by GrEgZteR

Thanks for great advises. I just cant imagine my self not using any tape to hone, a specially after spending 10 hours of hand sanding on restoration to put an extra line on a spine. I guess my goal is to completely preserve the craftsmanship of the razor.

In many ways hone wear is preserving the craftsmanship of the razor. It was designed to wear. But like Randy I feel there is an adequate wear of most of my vintage blades. But eventually it should come off to keep proportion.

I would recommend you stay with one layer(or what works) on your shavers until you have sharpened them quite a few times. It wont hurt much to keep aiming for a sharper result-honing every week for instance whether it needs it or not. Reason I think most new sharpeners can/will improve the accuracy of their bevels overtime. thus get sharper, better lasting edges.

Later you may want to take the tape off. Might work *

I believe you are right on how the razors where made and what was expected of them. I guess I'm gonna take it one step at a time and who knows maybe later on I will be ok with hone wear.

Gregory

What kevint said is what I did for many razors. Still do with some of them but it took a year for me to be confident enough that I wasn't going to hurt anything honing without tape. By all means use it until you feel you no longer need it. As long as you are not honing other peoples razors only you will be concerned with wear at the spine and once you know how to hone it will be minimal IME.

That makes a lot of sense Jimmy, I have previously tried to hone with out tape and the wear at the spine was no where near minimal. I blame it on my inexperience, I have also send a razor to be professionally honed and the the person put an excellent edge on it, and the hone wear almost not noticeable. So I have a long way to go

Gregory