Thread: I don't like taping the spine.

Pretty much what Glen said.

In response to the earlier question,"Why tape at all if you're only doing it on the first grit?"

The only reason I use tape on the 1K is because I have had an instance or two where I've set the bevel without it and the gritty swarf was sufficient enough to leave a scratch or two just below the normal area of spine contact. So, although the spine-sides themselves got polished out on subsequent finer grits, those scratch had to polished out with compounds.

On the other hand, when I apply tape to the spine it drapes far enough down the sides to protect those areas. Once I move off the 1k diamond plate onto the other stones I find it not to be an issue so - purely out of laziness - bye bye tape.