Quote Originally Posted by unit View Post
I am not sure I understand the idea of wanting to create a convex edge on a razor...but a lot of them are these days either from stropping aggressively with abrasives or adding tape for the finish hone (Zowanda method, I think)...technically they may be more of a complex bevel than a smooth convex...but hopefully you get the point.

OTOH, I would not be quick to say convex surfaces are stupid...it is pretty easy to see that there is a bit more support behind the apex on a convexed edge and they tend to be a bit more durable in some regards (so long as they work well on your face)

The surfaces are not stupid, the idea that you can maintain a hone with the exact radius of curvature necessary to impart precisely the same curvature on the razor each time you hone it is stupid. It is hard enough to lap a hone flat, let along make sure it maintains a certain curvature its entire life. Of course, you can accomplish it with some kind of rotating lapping wheel of certain radius, but I'll leave that to the experts and get by with my flat diamond plate.

Zowada 'adding tape' bevels are piece-wise linear bevels and are, from my reading of his posts at the time, a way for him to hone produced razors more quickly. The "robust edge" rationalisation came later I think, though I could be wrong there and apologies if so. Convex edges produced with pastes on on yielding strops are a side effect, not the primary goal. I also think Glen figured out that the convexing is minimal to the point of negligibility when considering the micron levels of something like CrOx paste compared to a bevel setter. But again, perhaps I don't remember that absolutely correctly.

James.