Thread: tape question?

if a razor has terrible hone wear.and i use three layers of tape to set bevel, should i keep three layers of tape on the spine while i progress in grits?

Yes, because your angle will be considerably higher. If you would hone without the tape after establishing the bevel with tape the edge wouldn't make contact with the hone.

Remember to re-apply tape regularly (I would recommend to at least change it after setting a bevel), as it wears considerably faster than steel.

Especially on the lower grits. I use different colors of tape, makes it easy to see wear and replace only the top layer as it needs it.

Just curious but why start with 3 pieces?

If there is significant spine wear there should also be a reduction in blade width (which theoretically keeps the bevel the same as the original factory angle) This is one reason some people are against taping at all, as you are not allowing the spine to wear down with the blade, thus changing the angle over the life of the blade. Now I don't subscribe to this theory, and have begun taping my spines, but usually just with 1 piece. ( My theory is that there never was a set requirement to have a certain spine thickness for a particular blade width, so changing that ratio will not prevent obtaining a good edge)

Originally Posted by souschefdude

Just curious but why start with 3 pieces?

If there is significant spine wear there should also be a reduction in blade width (which theoretically keeps the bevel the same as the original factory angle) This is one reason some people are against taping at all, as you are not allowing the spine to wear down with the blade, thus changing the angle over the life of the blade. Now I don't subscribe to this theory, and have begun taping my spines, but usually just with 1 piece. ( My theory is that there never was a set requirement to have a certain spine thickness for a particular blade width, so changing that ratio will not prevent obtaining a good edge)

Because theory doesn't always follow reality,, There are many reasons why the spine gets worn at an oddball rate/way, take your pick at which you think is correct..
16-17 degrees seems to be the average of the angles, This was also mentioned in one source of vintage razor makers there is also a 4:1 ratio mentioned between spine width and blade size both ways pretty much drop in at about the 16 degree mark..