Thread: Measuring for tape?

So I used the coticule.be site caculation chart, but had a question on measuring. When you measure the blade are do you measure from the top of the spine to the blade edge or to up the blade too where the spine starts?
This is the first time I have measured and on an old Greaves smiling wedge that difference makes the difference between 1 and 4 pieces of tape on the spine. My guess from the pic with the caliper measuring the blade was up too where the spine starts.

Thanks

In the Excel file it says this "Measure width of blade from the tip of the edge to the hone-wear on the spine, including the width of that honewear" . There usually is a band of hone wear, some are wider/some are narrower, measure from the top of that band of hone wear not the top of the spine.

Bob

Yes, there can be quite a difference in layers of tape needed if the hone wear id significant.

Yeah that is what I thought. I somehow missed reading that. Unfortunately my blade did not have any. I ended up making some hone wear before using tape though.

Originally Posted by rideon66

Yeah that is what I thought. I somehow missed reading that. Unfortunately my blade did not have any. I ended up making some hone wear before using tape though.

Did you polish the blade first before trying to measure? I can't believe on old Sheffield wedge would have no hone wear.

Bob

I am not sure it was ever honed. It had the original ultra shiny finish with some light pitting and blackish spotting. Kind of mad that I didn't tape it first. Even though it is very light hone ware from a coticule. It stands out cause it doesn't shine like the rest. I am trying a light restoration. The scales were broke so I had to buy some. Now to go buy some that don't look stupid and fix that mistake too. This is my first time doing smiling wedge, barber notch, scales off. Everything else I have was just light cleaning, soak in neatfoot oil, and hone.

I finally shaved with it last night. Great shave. It was a bear to hone on just a coticule though. I finally went with 2 layers of tape unicot and ended with 3. Again wish I had measured and done before I started. The bevel I think is a bit wider than it needs be and would have looked much cleaner had I done it right to begin with.

You had some good luck finding an old Sheffie smiling wedge in that condition. Possibly a little metal polish will shine up the hone wear to match the rest. Yea, scales are a live and learn experience too. Main thing is it came out alright in the end even if the bevel is a bit wide for your tastes. When you need to rest the bevel use the 3 layers and eventually the bevel will become smaller over time. Enjoy that blade.

Bob