Thread: Question about honing with tape.

I've recently seen a few videos and read a few posts about people who hone with tape while setting a bevel, and then remove the tape when moving to the 4k and up. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the physics behind it, but this seems like it wouldn't work well. Since honing with tape changes the angle of the bevel or creates a double bevel, wouldn't finishing without tape be essentially "missing" the bevel that was set initially with tape? It seems to me that if you set a bevel with tape on the spine, you'd have to finish it all the way with tape.

I believe if you start with tape you can't remove it to finish the edge, it will not work.

You got it backwards...

this is what the wiki's for, there's an article on bevel geometry and i'm heading for it now i think, because i don't have a clue

Originally Posted by MisterSensitive

I've recently seen a few videos and read a few posts about people who hone with tape while setting a bevel, and then remove the tape when moving to the 4k and up. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the physics behind it, but this seems like it wouldn't work well. Since honing with tape changes the angle of the bevel or creates a double bevel, wouldn't finishing without tape be essentially "missing" the bevel that was set initially with tape? It seems to me that if you set a bevel with tape on the spine, you'd have to finish it all the way with tape.

In reality what you are saying is truth.
Can someone hone blade with above method?
Of course it is possible.
Above method done to protect the spine wear.
End result you will have exact amount spine wear if you hone blade without tape.
Now what happens in this method is this.
you tape the blade and set the bevel move to 4 k and remove the tape.
On 4 k you will end up spending more time then usual because at the start point your edge will not touch the stone. you have to use 4k stone hone the bevel first then you will reach the edge and sharpen the edge.after that you are good to go.
Now there is backward process too. Opposite what you are saying. you hone without tape and at the end you tape it and finish the edge.
This is ok too but again angle will change and if user is newbie will have hard time to find right angle.
Usually they try to use 30% angle and get horrible shave from taped blade.
hope this helps.
gl

So there's no point in honing with tape? just makes for more work later on?

Originally Posted by tekbow

So there's no point in honing with tape? just makes for more work later on?

Sure, there is a point to it.
The thing is, you would basically have to use tape throughout the whole process, not just when setting the bevel.

One could also, like mentioned above, use it to set a secondary bevel, but then you'd have to use the tape in the latter parts of the honing progression, not the first.

Asked a honemeister to pls use tape on a N.O.S blade I bought from him,He was reticent to do so but found he could get an edge that meets his standards by taping.
So whats the downside if any by using tape thru the entire process?

Your misunderstanding the comment and applying simple physics. The honer is simply reducing the spine wear caused by low grits then resetting the bevel with 4k.

why not just set the bevel on the 4k in the first place?