Originally Posted by
English
The point about not being able to see the reduction in the width of the blade is that such a blade has lost its integrity. The springiness has gone. If you tape the spine its almost impossible to tell. Yes it will shave(like a butter knife) but not with the same feel of the original. Not as the manufacturer had originally intended.
This just simply is not true, I have shaved (frequently) with razors that are extremely worn from their previous lives. In fact one of my best shavers is a WB that started out life as one of the 9/8 meat choppers and is now below 8/8. This razor, using your definition, would constitute a "butter knife" and that is just not the case.
As for the springiness of a blade, that is a property of the steel more so than the shape or size of the cutting utensil. Think about it, the very edge of a razor is exactly the same whether it is a full hollow, full wedge, worn down hollow or otherwise. The cutting edge is a triangle. Period. It does not matter what kind of wear it has, the metal composition remains unchanged and the performance isn't altered by the amount of metal behind that triangle at the edge.
What I mean by illegal should not be taken literally. If a razor has had a taped spine, it is not what I would call an "honest" razor.
My final point refers to razors that have damascus blades or decorated spines. Well to be honest, if the only way to hone such a razor is with tape, I would suggest to you that there s a fundamental design fault.
If you want to consider every utensil as a utilitarian object, sure. But some people enjoy aesthetics as well.
I have had (and sold on this forum) a DOVO (Micarta) that has fancy etching all over the blade. It will take years of honing before the honing might upset the esthetic properties. Infact, the blade quality will deteriorate before the esthetics.
Again, the blade quality should not deteriorate with use.
Send me one of the razors you've used to formulate this opinion and I'll fix you right up, there really should be nothing wrong with the steel (unless it lost it's heat treat somehow).
What's the problem with the fine honing line on the spine of a damascus blade getting marginally wider over time.
I think the problem comes from people learning to hone. Overhoning and then selling off a "dishonest" razor that has been taped and then overhoned.
That is a separate problem. Are you suggesting that everyone who uses tape is such an amateur?
I'm not referring to forum members who tend to understand these things as well as I do, but there are a lot of dishonest razors out there. I think that taping will proliferate rather than reduce the problem. That's my only real concern. Otherwise I'm just being a bit mischievous to give you the argument for not taping.:)