Thread: To tape or not to tape

I have never taped and I don't care to start. Once I get the bevel set, touchups every now and again are all that is ever needed. If I'm in the middle of a shave and need to do a few swipes on the barber hone, I'm not going to go looking for tape and scissors and removing reside, etc... before I finish my shave.

I have read all of the reasons why people tape and I understand their reasoning. It's just not for me.

Here’s how I look at it, there is no down side to using tape. Residue? Really?

There are however many a razor, that cannot hold an edge because the spine is too thin. The fix for such a condition, is to tape, to make up for the lost metal in the spine.

Personally I am either honing someone else’s razor or one, I have put a lot of time in polishing, so why would I scratch it up, needlessly.

The old spine wear/ width of the razor wear, theory does not hold up.

And for my rotation, once honed, they will probably never see the hones again, as long as I own them, and if they do, it will just be a finish hone, certainly not a bevel set.

Two more considerations, we may buy razors with no thought of ever selling them, but if we ever do decide to thin the herd, a razor with no spine wear will bring more than one with wear.

The other thing is honing other peoples razors for friendship, or for $. If it ain't mine I'm going to tape it unless I'm specifically asked not to. IMHO.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

I don't buy the old school statement, you and I and just about everyone else ain't doing it old school, our hones are the proof of that, not to mention we have an Internet which you are on and have bought razors on. A good percentage waited till the sharpening wagon came around to hone. Most could keep it going with a strop, we all have surpassed the old ways into the new way, but tape or no tape, it's up to you, it really isn't going to change the geometry, personally I don't care to take any excess metal from my customs and my vintage I don't want to lose anymore than they already have. But that's my razors, you may well like no tape but it doesn't matter, unless your dealing with a wonky wedge that needs several layers, then tapes a good idea again.

Snarky.
How about illusion of old school? ;-P

If I could go to general store and buy a good natural hone made for razors, I would. With the options we have today and other times lack of options we blend. Brick dust and lamp black... pasted strops.
Dad said in the old days people came buy in a wagon and honed everthing in the house for a few pennies. Not an option today.
I do have synthetic stones... modern for sure but 40s old school were barbers hones. Perhaps it is an illusion.
Tape if you want, it's a preference when honing or touch up. It does cause spine wear. If you are fine with a bit, no tape. If you're restoring the edge and want to limit that, or have a wonky blade, tape. I imagine old school would be buy another. I'm sure they didn't have the sentimental attachment we do.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Here’s how I look at it, there is no down side to using tape. Residue? Really?

There are however many a razor, that cannot hold an edge because the spine is too thin. The fix for such a condition, is to tape, to make up for the lost metal in the spine.

Personally I am either honing someone else’s razor or one, I have put a lot of time in polishing, so why would I scratch it up, needlessly.

The old spine wear/ width of the razor wear, theory does not hold up.

And for my rotation, once honed, they will probably never see the hones again, as long as I own them, and if they do, it will just be a finish hone, certainly not a bevel set.

Do you tape for touch up?

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If the razor is originally honed with tape, then it needs to be touched up with tape.

I just taped a Landers Frary & Clark to set the bevel, didn't take much, then 50 strokes on the 4k has me in the ball park maybe a another 50 on the 4k then 50 on the 8k should get it done.

Originally Posted by Utopian

If the razor is originally honed with tape, then it needs to be touched up with tape.

Question, if you decide not to use the tape, the bevel would have to be reset?

Yes, but because the angle difference between untaped and one layer of tape is so trivial, it takes little to accomplish it. You do NOT need to drop all the way down to a 1k. You can accomplish it pretty quickly at the 4k level.

Originally Posted by hrfdez

Question, if you decide not to use the tape, the bevel would have to be reset?

Many believe that "resetting a bevel" means dropping to a 1K . It does not in most cases. I have reset several bevels from newly acquired razors, at the 4K level.