Thread: Using tape for touch-ups

I'm thinking the next time I feel a razor in my rotation needs a touchup i'll add an extra piece of tape and move right to the Ozuku with some wakasa slurry and then straight to water. Maksim says he uses some of his harder jnats to produce double bevels on his chef knives with great results.

I use three layers of tape for all my honing. I have no problem with tape. Before finishing with an extra layer of tape, however, I would consider two points:

1. It is just a geometric fact that adding tape reduces the acuteness of the edge. That doesn't mean that the edge is dulled to the point where it won't shave, of course, but it does mean that the taped edge will be less acute than the edge would have been without tape. Thus one has to wonder whether just finishing without the tape, leaving a single bevel instead of a double one would be just as effective if not more.

2. Assuming you finish with an extra layer of tape, what do you do next time finishing is required? If you add another layer, you ultimately arrive at a point where this theory falls in upon itself and your resulting edges are
less sharp than they would have been without the tape. I don't think double bevels, although they can function, make sense from a geometric point of view. But when you go past that to triples, quadruples, etc. , well, you get the point.

Perhaps for 'touchups' and 'double bevels' it would be smart to go back to approx the 4k mark to remove just enough steel to get your original bevel nice again. Hone as per, the next time a touchup is needed, extra layer and so on. Every other time creating a double bevel and not constantly adding more tape.

Just a work around to your, very valid, point.

For me I vote tape the spine.
The reasoning being that I semi define a touchup as just a minimum amount of honing. Going beyond that is rehoning.
Imagine that you were to accept a challenge involving the most effective tuneup on a razor in your rotation that has began causing an uncomforatable shave, using no more than say 12 roundtrips on the finishing hone. You could opt for tape the spine or not tape the spine. Which method would you choose?

I'd use tape as I hone all my razors with tape unless someone asks me to not use it. Unless you're removing enough steel to change the bevel, you'd want to keep the geometry the same for the touchup or add the tape for the double bevel but never less that what was on it for regular honing.

My opinion is a mix of the simple geometry quip, and Glen's answer.
Some steel is removed by your strop, and the bevel on your razor will degrade over time. Leading to the answer that you can probably touch up without tape.
Another reason this may be possible is that a single layer of tape only alters the bevel by very small amount (fractions of a degree). Ultimately what this comes down to is what really works for you. Even if it works in science, that doesn't always mean it works for you.

You guys who use tape, don't you feel it in someway degrades the feeling on the hone?
I go by the feeling and sound a lot to know what's happening.

Originally Posted by Lemur

You guys who use tape, don't you feel it in someway degrades the feeling on the hone?
I go by the feeling and sound a lot to know what's happening.

Since i learned to hone with tape, it's what i'm used to. Now when i hone without tape it feels/sounds really strange. I have no problem feeling the blade on the hones I use and have had great success on my jnat finishing by 'feel'.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Since i learned to hone with tape, it's what i'm used to. Now when i hone without tape it feels/sounds really strange. I have no problem feeling the blade on the hones I use and have had great success on my jnat finishing by 'feel'.

Yeah, I guess it's something you get used to.
I got some Jnats that's really prone to scratching if you get to much friction on them.
I'm going to try a few razors with tape on them, it might do the trick even tho it feels "wrong".

Originally Posted by Lemur

You guys who use tape, don't you feel it in someway degrades the feeling on the hone?
I go by the feeling and sound a lot to know what's happening.

I used to be a proponent of no tape. Now I use a double bevel as standard in my honing.
I hone upwards of 10 razors a day. I can hear, see, and feel how the edge is interacting with the stone. I care not how the spine is interacting unless I am correcting the spine (without tape). Please don't turn this into another "tape thread" lmao <------- in a humerous way