Thread: Barber's Hone touch-up

If the bevel was set, and the progression completed with a single layer of tape on the spine, should the razor be taped for quick touch-up on a barbers hone?

Yes, otherwise you will only be polishing the sides of the bevel and not the actual edge.

Originally Posted by Badgister

Yes, otherwise you will only be polishing the sides of the bevel and not the actual edge.

That's what I thought.. kind of defeats the purpose of having a B-Hone handy for super quick touch-ups, if tape is used for the rest of the process..

Ugh.. so many variables to consider.

Yes. You must use tape.

Suddenly - this makes sense!

I've tried my Boker paddle strop / barbers hone on a practice razor and the blade just didn't seem to connect, and if I adjusted the blade, it felt like the blade as biting in...tape on the spine would provide the proper angle I guess to ensure the blade, not the spine, met the hone.

Would you use tape on a coticule as well...I've seen vids where no tape is used?

Originally Posted by Phrank

....Would you use tape on a coticule as well...I've seen vids where no tape is used?

Rank amateur here, so hold my words loosely...

As I suspected, it is less important whether you do or don't use tape (there are exceptions to every rule). Rather, if you start with it stay with it. Be consistent. The tape changes the angle of approach so doing a touch-up without tape, on a blade that has had it's bevel set with tape means the bevel edge is going to be rounded.

That said, adding a layer of tape to a blade that has it's bevel set without it will produce a micro bevel.. not necessarily a bad thing.

There are two exceptions to this rule that I have come across... The Unicot method of one stone honing on a coti relies on adding a layer of tape towards the finish as does Tim Zowada's honing technique.

It's all speculation, and it's really quick either way.


Michael

Originally Posted by mjsorkin

It's all speculation, and it's really quick either way.


Michael

What is speculation? I am sorry but I may misunderstand you. If you have honed your razor with tape on the spine, you will definitely have to use tape on a Barber's hone to touch it up. My apologies if I misunderstand your statement.

Originally Posted by souschefdude

What is speculation? I am sorry but I may misunderstand you. If you have honed your razor with tape on the spine, you will definitely have to use tape on a Barber's hone to touch it up. My apologies if I misunderstand your statement.

There's a prominent member on this board who says its not necessary to retape for a touch up. He has done it without trouble. There are many here who claim otherwise. But it's all speculation to me.

I always tape and I don't use barber hones. So I don't spend a lot of time wondering about it. A touch up takes be 5 minutes, if that. And a lot of times I'll use a pasted paddle without tape for touch ups.

I think if I had to switch a razor from taped to untaped, that would take five minutes too. So it really doesn't matter either way.

People make WAY too much of a big deal about tape. As I get more experience it just matters less and less to me. I can do it either way. Tape or no tape I'm still just honing the edge and getting the razor to shave.

Michael

Originally Posted by mjsorkin

There's a prominent member on this board who says its not necessary to retape for a touch up. He has done it without trouble. There are many here who claim otherwise. But it's all speculation to me.

I always tape and I don't use barber hones. So I don't spend a lot of time wondering about it. A touch up takes be 5 minutes, if that. And a lot of times I'll use a pasted paddle without tape for touch ups.

I think if I had to switch a razor from taped to untaped, that would take five minutes too. So it really doesn't matter either way.

People make WAY too much of a big deal about tape. As I get more experience it just matters less and less to me. I can do it either way. Tape or no tape I'm still just honing the edge and getting the razor to shave.

Michael

Prominent member or not, it is physics. the angle with tape and without tape is different. If you set the angle with tape you wont touch the edge without. Now vice versa, if you set the edge without tape, you will touch the edge with tape.
If you tape to set your edge, and you dont tape on your pasted strop, that is different. A strop has some give to it. A stone does not.

I might agree that it is just speculation whether or not you get a superior edge with tape. I tape only to preserve the crisp spine.
I disagree with those who say changing the pre-determined angle by not allowing the spine to wear down with the blade is detrimental. To my knowledge noone ever set in stone that a certain width blade needed a particular thickness of spine.