Thread: Honing a vintage razor, can't find the same tape used to get it shave ready

Hello fellows.

About two months ago I got a Dovo Bismarck as a gift, which I first thought as not shave ready, but after practicing a bit more on the strop, I was able to get comfortable shaves.

But since I live in Brazil, I couldn't find a honemeister around my city/state, so I decided to learn how to hone.

I ended up buying two shave-ready razors from a reputable dealer, and a King 1K, a Norton 4K/8K and a Shapton 12K.

The honemeister told me he used 3 layers of tape, specifically the 3M Super 88. Problem is, 3M doesn't sell this tape in Brazil.

The closest I could find was the Scotch 33. Now the Super 88 is 0.22mm thick and the Scotch 33 is only 0.19mm thick. Combining the three layers the sum of the difference comes to 0.09mm.

My first question is whether I'll able to refresh this edge on my Shapton 12K even with this slight difference.

Secondly, how do I figure out how much tape to use with the Dovo and how do I avoid damaging the gold etching on the blade?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Doesn’t matter, a few extra laps will reset the angle.

Tape will protect the Etch and spine.

Put one layer of tape on the spine and ink the bevel. Do one lap on your highest grit stone and look at the bevel. If you are honing all the way to the edge, you are fine. If not, add a layer of tape, re-ink the bevel and do another lap.

Once you are honing to the edge or close to the edge you are fine.

The brand of tape does not really matter all that much. I have tried all different brands and thickness of tape and while they can vary in thickness, by a few thousandths, it does not alter the angle that much.

A few extra laps and the edge is re-ground to the new tape. Yes, we all have our favorites, but it is not worth worrying about.

I am now using a No-name brand, that I got at a local Electronics store, they packaged under their brand, 8 rolls for 5 bucks. It works and looks just like the one I was using, and paying $150 a roll for.

I do go through a fair amount of tape, just make sure your tape has not been sitting around for years, it will get gummy and slip. WD40 on a paper towel will remove residue easily.

So try it, worst that could happen is you now have an extra roll of electrical tape.

- - - Hello Euclid, I haven't been on here for quite a while, but last time, you advised purchasing a 60X magnifier to examine my blade, which I have done. As I understand it, the idea is to hone until an apex is achieved and then to go from there. Well, I have done that as best I can and still cannot shave with it. What's the next step ?

Well, posting some photo would help.

Open a new thread, so as not to hijack this thread on another subject and after looking at the photo, be glad to walk you through the process.

Also post which stones you are using.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Well, posting some photo would help.

Open a new thread, so as not to hijack this thread on another subject and after looking at the photo, be glad to walk you through the process.

Also post which stones you are using.

- - - I have only a hand magnifier and unable to post on a computer. I have a Norton combo 4000/8000 grit. I suspect that the idea is to eliminate what I will call the ledge on top of the edge, that is, to eliminate any flatness where the cutting edge should be. But there has to be another tweak to get to where I want to go. Back to the drawer it goes for now, until someone can offer something.

- - - I am somewhat amazed that 100 years ago, they were evidently able to get a shaving edge without the use of magnifiers. At least that is my assumption.

Yes, you can hone without magnification and yes they did it a hundred years ago without magnification.

If you believe that you still have a "ledge on top of the edge," then obviously you need to spend more time on the 4k in order to get the bevels to meet, thereby eliminating your ledge. Continue honing it until you can shave arm hair. Hone it a little more and see if the edge improves. If you feel that you have maxed out the sharpness on the 4k, then you can strop it and shave test it. If it shaves adequately, then go ahead and hone it on the 8k, doing 10-15 light strokes. If it did not shave adequately, then spend some more time on the 4k Either way, the 10-15 8k strokes will follow whatever you do on the 4k. Of course you will follow the 8k with more stropping and shaving.

If you have not done so, you would benefit from reading the stickies at the top of the honing section.

Going back to the OP for a sec - What razor was honed with three layers of tape? I haven't been all that active recently, but that sounds like an odd practice to me. Is this a new norm? Are we talking a wedgy razor with bad hone wear?

It IS an odd practice, but I know of a honer highly hyped in Reddit's Wicked Edge that routinely used three layers on full hollows and 5-6 on wedges.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Going back to the OP for a sec - What razor was honed with three layers of tape? I haven't been all that active recently, but that sounds like an odd practice to me. Is this a new norm? Are we talking a wedgy razor with bad hone wear?

Sorry but I can't really answer your question, because I didn't hone them, the info about the three layers came from the honemeister. He's a very respected honemeister at Reddit though (goes by the nick /u/RocTraitor) and he's got a vast inventory of razors, which he hones himself (and he's also great to deal with).

Since I don't have any expertise on honing, I can't really say if using three layers is a good thing or not.

The razors are pictured below:













These two are "sight unseen" razors, meaning that the seller didn't think them worth of listing, but are still in good shaving conditions -- and cheaper too.

The second razor's got an inscription on the blade, I can't read it all, but it ends with "5 ARS GARANTI" and in the middle there's a year, I think it's 1890, or maybe 1900.

Don't know enough to identify them.

Cheers!