Muting a spike?

[Leatherstockiings]

I have seen spike point razors here that are muted. I know why muting is done, but wondering how it is done. More to the point, is muting irreversible?

I have been eyeing a couple of spike pointed razors but am not confident with my shaving technique yet. I am wondering if I bought a spike and had it muted, would this ruin the collectability of the razor?

[gssixgun]

If it is done lightly and correctly it can be reversed easily within a few honing cycles, this is really good for beginners that want a safer razor to start yet want the spike to come back as they get better at handling the razor

If it is reversed there is no Collectability issue, other than the normal hone wear would be


Set the tip of the razor edge down at about a 20 degree angle from the hone, draw the razor backwards across the hone while lifting the angle of the razor by raising the tang, at the same time, doing it with just a light touch will only take away the very tip nothing else...

[ScottGoodman]

What Glen said, I typically use the side of the finishing hone I am on. One stroke is all it takes.

[ChopperStyle]

I can't tell you what to do, but I learned to shave with straights using spike points. I still have one or two of the scars from those early shaves. I once bought a 15/16 spike point Bartmann and the seller's only request was that I never mute that spike. Shaving with that razor made me feel alive. If you're going to mute a spike, find something cheap and smaller.

[Frankenstein]

I have to agree with Chopper. My favourites are spike points, and true spikes are hard to find. So I'm a bit saddened when I hear people are muting them, especially when there are so many muted points around.

[ChopperStyle]

Great point Frank. Spike points are becoming rarer and rarer for this reason. Also, they are really handy for shaping side burns and mustaches.