Thread: Stropping with tape on the spine

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Yes, I find that when I use a paddle for tools and knives I use more pressure. Either way leather flexes enough to reach the edge.

Think about this, it is a common trick when honing on film to do your final laps with a layer of copy paper under the film the wet paper compresses enough to hone the edge more than the back of the bevel. Almost a micro bevel, it will make the edge less harsh.

I hone all razors with one layer of electrical tape and one layer of Kapton, and strop between stone with the tape on the spine. After honing the strops will always flex enough to reach and polish the edge.

You don’t need to tape an edge to strop an edge that has been honed on tape.

Here is an interesting post from Tim Zowada with micro graphs on stropping on linen, note the edge is more polished than the back of the bevel.

(How effective is clean fabric?)

After reading many of your posts and your anal retentiveness of keeping your strops clean I find it hard to believe that you strop between stones with the tape still on.

Originally Posted by 32t

After reading many of your posts and your anal retentiveness of keeping your strops clean I find it hard to believe that you strop between stones with the tape still on.

I personally don't clean my strop, just rub it with my hand often.

My personal feeling is that my face damages my edge more than a bit of dust on my strop.

So, probably unlike most, I have a variety of strops and keep a set of shop strops and maintenance strops in the house.

I clean both sets of strops before each use, the shop strops with a clean damp sponge and damp microfiber. Stropping between stones is done on a firehose strop and am not concerned with any scratching, (the firehose leaves its own aggressive scratch pattern) the next stone or slurry will refine the bevel finish removing any scratches. I do rinse the blade under running water and wipe with a microfiber prior to stropping. I have a sink a couple steps from my honing bench.

My finish strops in the house are also wiped daily with a damp microfiber prior to use. I try to keep the blade and strops as clean as possible but final finish and maintenance stropping is done on completely different strops.

If you have issues burning through tape, try Kapton, you tape last much longer, is slicker and easy to change.

I like Jerry and others do not remove tape to strop while honing. I do wash with liquid hand soap and dry on a towel to remove any grit that is on the tape. The one exception is if I am going to change the tape anyway because of wear. In that case I will normally remove the tape first, clean the residue off with alcohol and a paper towel to keep the gooey residue from getting on the strop, then reapply the tape after the stropping. As far as wear on electrical tape, not all electrical tape is created equal. I have found Scotch 700 to be more durable than most electrical tape I have tried. It also seems to be thinner than many other kinds.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I like Jerry and others do not remove tape to strop while honing. I do wash with liquid hand soap and dry on a towel to remove any grit that is on the tape. The one exception is if I am going to change the tape anyway because of wear. In that case I will normally remove the tape first, clean the residue off with alcohol and a paper towel to keep the gooey residue from getting on the strop, then reapply the tape after the stropping. As far as wear on electrical tape, not all electrical tape is created equal. I have found Scotch 700 to be more durable than most electrical tape I have tried. It also seems to be thinner than many other kinds.

I usually leave the tape on if I'm stropping mid hone although I don't usually use electrical tape. I prefer Kapton so it feels like I'm close to no tape honing.

I do sometimes add a layer of electrical tape over the kapton if I want to create a micro bevel.

I was overthinking the geometry of the razor to the stone versus the razor on a strop. I'm a perfectionist who hails from a family of tool and die/mold makers although I'm not one myself.

Some of the best minds and most experienced honers chiming in. Thanks guys. I'm on the lifetime journey of straight razors and honing and appreciate your input.