Thread: Question on taping uneven bevel

I was setting a bevel on a razor last night and i could see it was frowning slightly in the bevel. I couldnt see any frown in the blade however.
This is not my plan of action, but while looking at it i was thinking about tape and i started thinking as it has a slight frown, maybe i should tape just the toe and heel of the spine, similarly if it was smiling, maybe just tape the centre. Does this sound lkke a bad idea for correcting a bevel?

Sorry for spelling. I hate writing from phones..

Corrective taping - Yes it works but normally it isn't needed, really a picture here would really really help us help you,,

There are a couple of different ways to accomplish what you are asking about, usually a single layer or perhaps a second layer of tape without doing anything else other then nice even strokes will pull out a straight bevel..
You have to figure out what is causing the frown to appear

If using more than one layer of tape to correct an issue like this one, is it ok to keep all those layers from start to finish of the honing process? Or is it better to set the bevel with 2-3 layers of tape, and then reduce to only 0-1 layers of tape for the final sharpen and polish? Would reducing the number of tape layers negate the initial advantage?

I would leave them in place,, but that is a choice you need to make yourself

Keeping in mind there is a slight difference between honing with one layer of tape like many do to protect the spine, and using tape to correct previous bad spine wear..

The only time I have ever removed tape is when a customer asks that their razor be honed "Without" tape, then I set the bevel with one layer then remove it and do the very minimal work to re-set that bevel to the lower angle and leave minimal spine wear from then on


These are all simply taping tricks, and like anything else with honing you have to learn what works for you

If you are new to honing, you should be using tape, to learn to hone, because most novice honers use too much pressure and that pressure will grind away the spine needlessly and cause future problems, as you are seeing.

Like Glen said, tape can be used for two purposes, to protect the bevel and to correct a spine defect.

Your issue may not be a spine defect, it could be too much pressure or your stroke. An X stroke will automatically put a slight amount of pressure on the heel and toe and keep your edge straight and or keep it smiling.

A smiling edge is a good thing, a frown will cut you.

Tape will also tell you a lot about your honing technique. Watch your tape, if you are burning through it, you are using too much pressure or a very aggressive stone, low grit or Diamond plate will eat tape. Tape is cheap insurance against irreversible damage.

So as said you need to find out if the problem is the razor or the driver. Hard to say which, photos, may help us help you.

im gonna get some pictures asap, i hope my phone can capture them. im pretty sure some of the problem has been my hand and my pressure, but i dont understand the uneveness. i hope the photos will help