Thread: StraightRazorDesigns honing process and materials?

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

If you want to see what I have in mind
visit YouTube and look for the honing
videos by gssixgun. Pay attention to the very
last ten strokes of the process. That may
be all you need because all the hard stuff was
already done by SRD and the last ten smooth
finishing hone strokes is all many need.

Thanks! That was an excellent video. I've read a little bit enough to know that taping the spine is a debatable subject, but I notice that in the video the spine is taped. I have to normal spined razors and one on the way that is nicely designed (Dovo Flowing). Do you recommend that I tape this spine or even the others as well? Does SRD tape them when honing? I wouldn't need to tape when stropping correct?

When I buy a razor I always ask if it was honed with tape. If it was, then I will also hone on tape, at least until the time comes to reset the bevel. That is because the shaving edge is angled in a way that if I hone without tape, I'll only polish the metal just shy of the edge.

Times when I do NOT use tape:

1. The blade has some warp or was misground and I can correct it by honing the spine and edge together. This is usually something that requires some heavy work with a 325DMT.

2. The blade doesn't have much hone wear and I'm honing it for the first time. I do it without tape because I want the same level of polish along the spine as I'm working to put on the edge. This is a cosmetic choice.

3. It's one of my own blades and I'm feeling too lazy to change tape at every new grit level. (You have to change tape because it does abrade away. I don't think the problem is angle change as much as it is gummy tape residue messing up your hone.)

4. I'm doing a touch-up on a very fine hone, which will not add detectable wear to the spine.


Times when I DO use tape:

1. I'm doing my final polish on a very slow hone. The tape props up the blade a tiny bit, so this slow hone is creating a microbevel all its own and not abrading the entire edge created so far. I also get to inspect with a magnifier and compare the microbevel polish to the rest of the edge polish, and verify that this final hone is finer than the previous one.

2. I'm working with a wedge grind, where the tape is a great help in keeping a narrow bevel. If it's an old wedge with lots of hone wear, I might use two or three layers.

3. I'm honing someone else's razor and it doesn't need any corrective work. I ask before starting work, to see what they prefer. Default option, though, is tape.

4. I'm working on an old blade that already has significant hone wear. I may polish the existing wear up to my own finishing grit first, but will then backtrack to the actual bevel setting and honing with tape.

5. There's something really pretty about the spine, and I don't want to mar it.


That's the reasoning behind my own taping decision. Hope it isn't too much information.

Best wishes.

Originally Posted by MNDZA

Thanks! That was an excellent video. I've read a little bit enough to know that taping the spine is a debatable subject, but I notice that in the video the spine is taped. I have to normal spined razors and one on the way that is nicely designed (Dovo Flowing). Do you recommend that I tape this spine or even the others as well? Does SRD tape them when honing? I wouldn't need to tape when stropping correct?

Tape is a choice.
I do not use it for the most part. But I do use it
at times.

Since Glen hones other peoples razors some of which already have
a lot of spine wear he has decided that tape is a good thing for
his goals. I am sure he has discussed his logic before.

I have some razors where the spine wear makes tape a good thing.

The only rule on tape is to be consistent for a given razor.

It is a tool like any tool.

My gut feeling is that tape is best for restored razors.
It is mostly not needed for a new razor like a Dovo.

I do use it on my new, prize, gold plated, fancy file work on the spine razor.

Sometimes I think we're all a little hone-happy. People have been getting great shaves for centuries (!), using nothing more than some kind of barber's hone. Lynn could create a wicked edge with a hunk of concrete and a belt for a strop. I've been straight shaving for more than 30 years, and for most of that time I did just fine with a couple of cheap Arkansas stones.

Now that I've upgraded (see what ya'll did?), I can say that my blades are sharper--but not by much. This ain't rocket science, even though it's fun to pretend that it is.