Thread: Question on Spine Taping and Angle

Got it, all of it, and thanks. Still I wonder about the effect of rubbing the taped spine across the stones, especially lower numerical grit stones. When I used to sharpen knives, I had to be concerned about "slicking up" a stone. Wouldn't the tape material tend to get imbeded in the stones? If that is the case, could it be removed? Based on the fact that taping is done, I would assume it is not a problem. Perhaps lapping grinds the stone below the level of imbeded material? Still, I wonder about the effect of taping on the stone itself.

Tape residue does show up on my King 1k. I either rub it lightly with my hand or take a few passes with a diamond plate to gently lap it, since it is a fast dishing stone. I don't know about imbeded in the stone, since it easily comes off.

Originally Posted by bassguy

Dylan, you lost me at "math".

I never actually said "math" :-p

Also, +1 to what you said about declogging hones, in the event that it happens.

I'm not an expert honer but I've now done quite a few straights.
My preference is not to use tape but if it is a Damascus blade or something with gold wash that might get scratched off, then I do use one layer of electrical tape. If I use tape, then I leave it of for the whole honing progression so as not to change the angle.
When I first started honing, I used tape up to and including the 4k hone and then taking it off and could understand why I couldn't get an edge sharp enough to shave with.
So, either tape the whole way or no tape the whole way.

OK, I guess I'm ready to start honing now. All I need is some stones, some skill, some practice, and lots of luck. Maybe I'd better go ahead and get a straight too!

Your going to get "swarf" no matter tape or not and this will lead to minor glazing/clogging of the hone. Simply place the hone under some running water and use either a brush , your fingers or a green nylon scrubbing pad to remove the stuff whenever you think it needs it.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Your going to get "swarf" no matter tape or not and this will lead to minor glazing/clogging of the hone. Simply place the hone under some running water and use either a brush , your fingers or a green nylon scrubbing pad to remove the stuff whenever you think it needs it.

Hope this helps,

Yes it does help. It's nice to know that the residue can be easily cleaned off. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ace

OK, I guess I'm ready to start honing now. All I need is some stones, some skill, some practice, and lots of luck. Maybe I'd better go ahead and get a straight too!

And a roll of electrical tape

When I think of the angle of the bevel or should I say bevel to be, when the honeing proccess begins and the bevel would say be set with tape, one layer, two layers, whatever, and then the tape is removed, just from what little common sense I still retain, the new "edge" will be up in in the air off the stone surface. And by it should take many more strokes to get the edge and the surface of the bevel on the same plane again, yes?? Well to my way of thinking any who. And that would be from 1k to the 4k for most honers. Then another question arise's. If you hone a Str8 for someone else, or even if you own quite a few Str8's when you or the other blouke feel its time to ''touch up" the razor between honeing and you put it to a barber hone if taped fully throughout the proccess the actual edge will not be on the hone for the touch-up. Meaning to touch up a razor that has been taped while honed you would have to tape the spine up while using a barbaer hone also,,................hope I'm getting though what I'm trying to say any way!! What I"m trying to say is if you hone a razor for someone and use tape you should make sure that know this so the touch up they will need at some point can be done while taped to ensure a happy customer. A long way to make my point but there it is.

So, as you said originaly, get your self some razors, some hones, a strop 'er two and ''GET TO WET SHAVING!!"

Be good, Be safe, Be BBS!!

tinkersd of SRP!

And well put. Imagine what it would be like to try to touch up a razor that had been fairly heavily taped by someone like me concerned about spine wear only to find that on 4K or 8K nothing is going on except getting a nice shine on the side of the bevel? If it is true,as stated here, that taping is done primarily when a razor is honed for someone else, I wonder how many people have gotten razors done for them only to find that they were unable to touch them up because the bevel-setting had been done while they were taped? Or, to the same point, how many people have gotten razors from others, from Ebay, etc. and didn't know that the bevel had been set with a taped spine?