Thread: Could someone explain why they tape splines when honing?

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Or maybe to save some time on a wedge that needs a new bevel or edge damage repaired

I could see how it would be used to repair an edge. But why would you use it to save time? More material on the spine to remove on a wedge correct? Wouldn't that mean you would have to use tape forever after that?

Because if you took the tape back off you would have to hone the spine or edge side flat again because a new angle is created by removing the tape. That would negate any time you saved honing the first time with tape.

Originally Posted by tsenfw

But why would you use it to save time? More material on the spine to remove on a wedge correct? Wouldn't that mean you would have to use tape forever after that?

I don't see why. Just peel the tape off when you're done, then strop and shave as usual. You'd have to re-apply the tape for the intermittent hone refreshing every few dozen shaves I guess, but that might be a more efficient use of time for some people than spending hours honing through the entire bevel.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't see why. Just peel the tape off when you're done, then strop and shave as usual. You'd have to re-apply the tape for the intermittent hone refreshing every few dozen shaves I guess, but that might be a more efficient use of time for some people than spending hours honing through the entire bevel.

True, good point. Never even held a wedge in my hands, so I don't really have a concept as to how long they take to hone.

Originally Posted by tsenfw

Never even held a wedge in my hands, so I don't really have a concept as to how long they take to hone.

You will, my friend, you will. RAD will set in anytime now if it hasn't already. It's a quick acting disorder. There is no cure.

Chris L

One more point for taping the spine, which I do, unless asked specifically not to, by the razor owner, and yes it says exactly how the razor was honed in the letter I return with the razor... How about hone wear????? this is something that is not brought up often but it is there, and even if you're not concerned with wear, think about the swarf deposited by the spine on the hone ..... Yes there are other advantages to taping the spine other than just asthetics... I understand that hone wear/cleaning is not a huge concern to the average razor user but to those of us that hone many razors, it becomes a concern.......

Just my 2 pennies

One other thought is on that old hone worn razor, if you tape it, you eliminate many of the honing problems that somebody else managed to put in there over the years, and cut a fresh straight/even new bevel....

Good points, Glen. Thanks for adding them as I wasn't thinking of things from those perspectives. I also think it's great that you do tell users how exactly you honed their razors.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chris L

Good points, Glen. Thanks for adding them as I wasn't thinking of things from those perspectives. I also think it's great that you do tell users how exactly you honed their razors.

Chris L

I figured the hone wear aspect would grab your attention "Mister HAD"

When I first came around to SRP I put up a poll ,"do you tape the spine"? I wanted to do it 'right' and figured I would see what the general consensus was. In the meanwhile I was buying ebay razors left and right to practice honing. At first I taped some and not others. It wasn't long before I found trying to recall which I had taped and which I had not became a PITA.

So I decided to tape all of them and that was that. So far so good. There are a few memebers who have strong feelings against taping spines. I figure that if Tim Zowada can take a thousand dollar razor start with 3 layers of tape and finish with one it ain't gonna hurt my razor to use one layer. Different strokes for different folks.

So is the spine designed to be a particular width to achieve a specific angle to the edge when honing? If so, then wouldn't you want the spine to get thinner as the edge moves into the blade? I'm thinking that eventually a 5/8 blade will become a 4/8 blade with enough honing. To maintain the same edge angle you would want a thinner spine... anything to that?