Thread: Sharper in the center than the toe and heel

Originally Posted by Johnus

Question: on the video, he starts off with setting the bevel with tape on the razor. Initially sets it with the tape and then removes it and redoes the bevel without tape.
Should it be just the other way? If you're setting a double beveled edge shouldn't the 'steeper' edge be set Last??

I set the bevel the first time with tape. I did not want to do a lot of work on the coarse hones and get a lot of hone wear on the spine of the blade. After I had the bevel set with tape, I took the tape off and and reset the bevel without tape. The tape was to prevent excess hone wear on the coarse hones.

I was not trying to get a double bevel, I was just minimizing hone wear. I always set the bevel the first time with tape on the blade, and then I decide if I am going to use tape or not during the rest of the honing process.

Using tape when setting the bevel is a good idea after/when doing repair work or restoration work on a blade. Sanding and buffing really kill the edge. In this case I had just made that blade, and this was the first time I had honed it.

Charlie