Thread: Taping the spine

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Fixing a Frown vs Avoiding a Frown - Two different techniques



Avoid a frown by NEVER honing straight up and down ANY hone
Avoid a frown by always honing "Toward a Smile" hone the razor as if it had a smile

Fixing a frown read that thread, or any other on high angle honing

Hi Glen,

If I always hone as if it had a smile, wouldn’t it create a smile?

Please correct me if I am wrong but I would prefer not to create a smile if the blade didn’t have one before I got my hands on it.

Steve

The old barber texts recommend honing to a smile regardless cos you know what the other option is

Originally Posted by onimaru55

The old barber texts recommend honing to a smile regardless cos you know what the other option is

Steve
After you have honed a few, you will see the wisdom in this.

A straight edge is as close to a frown as you can get.

Steve
You are right. It sounds like you will be making a smile on everything. But as Dave said...Hone a few or 20 and you will understand. It will come together. It just takes time. I was at it for many many months before it all came together for me. And still, To this day I still find problem razors that make me want to throw them against the wall! Just set them down for next week is my answer.

If you add a layer of Kapton tape, your tape will last much longer and if you pay attention, you can just change the Kapton tape and not the electrical.

If you feel a difference in the stone, gummy, grabby or girt on the stone you have burned through your tape. When you clean the razor to take a look with your loupe, feel the tape on the edge of the spine, if it is smooth you are good, if it feel rough or gummy you are starting to burn through.

How long tape last depends on how much pressure you are putting on the spine and how aggressive your stone is. A diamond plate will eat tape, faster than a 1k or 8k.

Learn to torque the blade slightly, so very lite pressure is on the edge and not the spine. The spine is just kissing, but on the stone, especially when flattening the bevels on the 1k. Your final laps are done with the spine fully on the stone.

For a new honer a $5-7 investment in a roll of Polymide tape is a good investment, a roll lasts a long time, it is super thin and tough. The knock off last as long as the name brand.

Hi all,

Ok, I have been advised by everyone to hone everything as if it had a smile.

Message received loud and clear, I prefer to learn from your mistakes than mine

I have got a question or two though if you don't mind.

1) If a person should always hone as if there were a smile, would that include 1k bevel setting (as if it had a smile)?

2) If I acquire a straight edge as opposed to a smile and would like if poss to keep it as a straight edge. Am I going to make it smile instantly if also bevel setting or does it take quite a lot of repeat honings before I will actually start to see an obvious smile?

I do get it that I need to hone as if it had a smile but I hope I don't sound like I have completely misunderstood if I say that I really would like a few different blades in my rotation, not just smiles on everything.

Steve