Thread: Tape on the spine

Hello

Im far from honing a razor, because im practicing using a shavett now. I am curious though about honing. If a person tapes the spine that would make the razor have an obtuse angle. If a person dont tape the spine and as the spine wears and the blade width decreases. Does the bevel height get taller. Meaning the bevel of the cutting edge. As the spine wears it looks like the edge angle would get thinner, but taller if that makes since.

I read somewhere i dont know which forum about a good idea when to tape the spine. This guy tapes his razor everytime, but only to set the bevel at 1k. Before he moves to the 4k he removes the tape, then takes permanent marker and marks not only the bevel but above the bevel a bit.Naturaly with no tape on the razor now using the 4k the bevel that was set on the 1k will not come into contact with the stone, but creates a secondary bevel. The reason he marked the bevel is when the marker is gone he knows that the first and secondary bevel become one bevel. The reason for the tape on the 1k was because thats the most aggressive stone he used, and the tape would protect the spine against the aggressiveness of the 1k. On the 4k and beyond minimal spine wear, because your just refining and not removing a lot of metal.

Having honed razors the past 8-9 years, with, and without, I just use tape on all of them now. So far so good. Here is more food for thought ;

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...highlight=tape

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...highlight=tape

I always tape the spine. Mainly to avoid excessive hone wear.

I never tape, only on old and/or very used razors. Tapes a little smushy, easy to put incorrect pressure on different parts of the blade imo. Tape is constantly wearing out and changing the angle.

And yet, if done correctly, taping is just fine. Just as importantly, it helps to prevent major mistakes by beginners.

But still, I was able to hone through six layers of tape and wonder what the heck I was doing wrong. Very, little prevention there...

Originally Posted by Aerdvaark

But still, I was able to hone through six layers of tape and wonder what the heck I was doing wrong. Very, little prevention there...

I don't know, On that occasion I shudder to think what the result would have been with no tape

Easy.... I would have sharpened the spine before the blade.....

Originally Posted by Aerdvaark

But still, I was able to hone through six layers of tape and wonder what the heck I was doing wrong. Very, little prevention there...

If you were able to hone through 6 layers of tape (that's a lot of tape!!) you were using way too much pressure to put it mildly. Tape is to prevent hone wear on the spine so that geometry of the blade can be preserved (or corrected) as well the aesthetics of the razor.

Did you mark the bevel with a Sharpie so you could tell where contact was being made and use a loupe?

Originally Posted by Aerdvaark

But still, I was able to hone through six layers of tape and wonder what the heck I was doing wrong. Very, little prevention there...

What you were doing wrong was using 6 layers of tape. How is your honing now?