Thread: Tape or no tape?

Thanks for a great advise, I'm actually in process of restoring a wedge razor and thought I will do the same technique as with my hollows. There is a lot more for me to learn about honing

Gregory

On old wedges with noticeable hone wear on the spine I use 3 layers of tape to help bring the bevel angle closer to the original. On full hollow ground razors I use 1 layer to prevent any additional hone wear on the spine. Just personal preference.

Just make sure you remember (or better yet, take note of) whether you taped or not, and how many layers. That way, when you go to refresh the edge, you'll be working on the same angle.

I've made the mistake of forgetting whether I've taped or not.

Sure, it's not an issue if you only have one or two razors. But if, like most of us, you start to accumulate razors, it can become a real problem.

Some people just make a policy of either always taping with one layer, or never taping... just so they don't have to keep track.

Mike

I only tape when setting a bevel. I set it than remove the tape and "reset" without tape. Generally this saves a ton of wear and allows for non tape finishing.

Granted each razor is different and a few have had so much spine wear that I keep that tapped edge going the full hone job.

Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

I only tape when setting a bevel. I set it than remove the tape and "reset" without tape. Generally this saves a ton of wear and allows for non tape finishing.

Granted each razor is different and a few have had so much spine wear that I keep that tapped edge going the full hone job.

I'm trying to think about this, and it doesn't make sense. sorry, its you not me.
if you reset the bevel without tape, aren't you just removing metal from the shoulders of the bevel as well as the spine?

Originally Posted by bassguy

I'm trying to think about this, and it doesn't make sense. sorry, its you not me.
if you reset the bevel without tape, aren't you just removing metal from the shoulders of the bevel as well as the spine?

Yes.
The strategy to which you were replying is used when a lot of work needs to be done on the edge. By taping the spine during most of the steel removal at the edge, the spine (and Glen's hone) is protected. When the edge looks good and the bevel is almost entirely set, the tape is removed for final bevel setting. At this point, as you speculated, most of the steel removal is at the shoulder of the taped bevel, but it takes very little to convert a taped bevel to an untaped bevel because the angular difference is so slight.

I'm with utopian and tom, but I might tape with a 1k hone, if there were alot of work required, but at that rate I'd be wishing I had a more coarse hone and would certainly tape.

As you hone with a coarse hone and tape the tape does wear, and depending on how fast it wears you either work your way towards no tape and a flat bevel, or possibly no tape and a convex bevel. In the end if I dont want a double bevel I work towards not taping, because otherwise between wearing tape and retaping you are likely to end up with a double bevel. not that that's a bad thing.

anywho.. yes, once you get to finishing spine wear is minimal, and if you can finish with a single bevel, and no tape, it just feels better to me.

I use one layer of tape on all my razors, just to prevent hone wear and it also keeps the bevels small. I actually honed a wedge over the weekend that needed two layers of tape, but thats the first time thats happened.

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..! Thats saved me some grief lol..!

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.