Thread: Taping the spine when removing chips.

I only tape wedges for speed reasons. Maybe Damascus too (when I get one!). All others are untaped.

Originally Posted by loueedacat

I always get better edges when I use tape, except on the razors where I always get better edges without tape. Hope that was clear.

All things equal I'd rather not have tape, because I'm lazy and like to touch up on my escher randomly without haveing to cut and wrap etc. But some edges where I was at A- and just couldn't get to A, I threw on some tape and they jumped to A. So I use tape on those.

I'm just guessing here, but if I found that, I'd half expect that the person who owned it before me was heavyhanded dragging the razor on the stone and wore it out of spec on the spine, thus the tape was just correcting previous user error. Or was the spine in good enough condition that you could tell this wasn't the case?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Another thing that compelled me to start with taping all of them was my fear that due to inexperience I would go too hard or too long. It took me awhile to begin to have confidence that I wouldn't mess up a razor without using tape. Personally I think a new honer is best off starting with tape and when he or she has the chops tape it or not.

I agree with this too.

Originally Posted by IanS

I'm just guessing here, but if I found that, I'd half expect that the person who owned it before me was heavyhanded dragging the razor on the stone and wore it out of spec on the spine, thus the tape was just correcting previous user error. Or was the spine in good enough condition that you could tell this wasn't the case?

I never would have come up with that but it sounds really smart. I think one of the times even seasoned honers use tape is indeed on damaged razors where the spine wear is uneven, and the tape kind of equalizes it a bit. I have one razor like that and the tape helped there. And I do use tape on my mongo wedges because I just cant get an angle on them without it.

But for me you just don't get the same zen feeling of metal gently gliding on rock when the metal has cheapo tape on it. And isn't this all about the zen?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Another thing that compelled me to start with taping all of them was my fear that due to inexperience I would go too hard or too long.

I addressed this concern by buying more razors than I'll ever need.

Originally Posted by loueedacat

I addressed this concern by buying more razors than I'll ever need.

+1 it would take me a hell of a long time to wear any of them. I agree with you on the wedges. I tape those big full Sheffields and hollows with badly worn spines. I also agree on the 'Zen' of honing without tape.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Another thing that compelled me to start with taping all of them was my fear that due to inexperience I would go too hard or too long.

Oh No! Not another thread about condoms!

See your answers are a small part of what convinced me to just always use tape....

Because that "Hmmmmmm did I tape that razor"??? would drive me loony tunes and I would have to re-hone it to make sure


Plus now-a-days most of my honing is on other peoples razors anyway, and I am NOT going to scratch them all up, after I spent all that time in the shop getting those things to a mirror finish again...

I just finished this thread, and I'm wondering if you all are talking about taping only for the rougher stones, and then removing the tape when you get to 4000/8000 and up, or keeping the tape on for the entire honing process.

Thanks.

The entire process, if you are going down in tape layers you have to do that early on to set the bevel for that edge...
If you are going up in tape layers you can do that later and refine the very edge for a double bevel...

There is so so much more to this than what is being eluded to here, that is why there are over 200 threads in the honing forum and many many more in the advanced honing forum....

"I use Tape to save the spine" is barely scratching the surface on the issue (pun intended)