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Good Bye - Electrical Tape

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
I was thinking, "liar", but if he's not then yeah, cheapskate works...

I would have preferred "frugal", but cheapskate works just as well. It's easier to mumble out an excuse over 15 $40.00 razors as opposed to one 600.00...
 
I got a 100x microscope from Radio Shack for
$15 and make that the ultimate test.

Thank you! I've been trying to figure out what instrument/magnification I should be looking for! I took up working with a straight recently and "guessing" I'm doing it right just don't cut it. I want to see it and be sure.

Yeah, I know, a little off topic. Sorry.
 
Before long, I couldn't keep straight what was honed with tape and what was not. So now everything gets tape. Lazy, yes.
This
Interesting. It does stifle the feedback you get but what remains is from the edge alone.
Really only a problem when on the JNAT, I only have 1 razor that I honed sans tape to see how hte feel was like, and there is a big difference. Without tape there is big sticking to the stone, without it not so much

I won't lie. I hate using tape because it basically eliminates the feedback I'm used to getting from the hone that I use to determine my progress.
I have not missed it

Isn't hone wear supposed to actually be good for ensuring that the edge angle is built in?
It is, but hopefully you only set the bevel once and its touch ups from there on

As it is now, we are arguing over whether the Green M&Ms taste better than the Red M&Ms. Or to be more blunt, whether your fart smells better than mine.:lol:
Green, most definitely, and no way do your farts smell better than mine

I only have 1 razor that costs more than 70 bucks so protecting the spine is no biggie to me.
Forge the Kanayama, strop should not cost twice as much as the razor

i always tape. i guess i'm to lazy to keep up with what has & not.
This
 
Silly question, but is there a thread with pics showing applied tape to the razor? I didn't see it in the stickies, and if there's something a stickie should have, it's tape.

And without intensifying debate, for a basic Dovo "Best" how many pieces of electrical tape is.. best?
 
If you're going to use tape, only one piece is necessary.

I used to not use it but since honing for others and the requests for using tape I use it on all razors now unless requested otherwise.
 
I don't like using tape but it is very useful in certain circumstances, decorated spines and dealing with old Sheffield that have uneven spine and bevel issues. I remember having fits getting the edge of a John Pitts Celebrated wedge on the hone until Ray Habyan suggested I put another 1 1/4 piece of tape opposite the edge not touching the hone and it worked like a charm.
 
One perfectly legitimate use of tape is for the "Unicot" method used on a coticule, and of course, the principle would apply to any hone.

Normal progression, but tape for the final steps. This creates a secondary bevel.
I just honed my Wacker this way last night and it was a simply fantastic shave... going to see how long the edge holds up. I had absolutely ZERO pulling running WTG, which is not something that happens with my curly hair. This was not my first time with a Coticule, but it was my first shot at the Unicot method.

To tape, slice a piece (quality tape like 3M 33), stick/unstick it from your towel a couple of times to deaden the adhesive, then center the spine on the tape and fold it over both sides.
 
One perfectly legitimate use of tape is for the "Unicot" method used on a coticule, and of course, the principle would apply to any hone.

Normal progression, but tape for the final steps. This creates a secondary bevel.
I just honed my Wacker this way last night and it was a simply fantastic shave... going to see how long the edge holds up. I had absolutely ZERO pulling running WTG, which is not something that happens with my curly hair. This was not my first time with a Coticule, but it was my first shot at the Unicot method.

To tape, slice a piece (quality tape like 3M 33), stick/unstick it from your towel a couple of times to deaden the adhesive, then center the spine on the tape and fold it over both sides.

True, unicot is a great way to get there. I stopped doing that as well. Dilucot with coticules.
 
True, unicot is a great way to get there. I stopped doing that as well. Dilucot with coticules.

I don't use my Wacker often enough.
I don't know if it's the steel, the grind, the weight, or what... but it's the only blade I have that I can hone to an HHT with SWMBO's "spider silk" like hair, and a beautiful HHT it is... normally a bit of a violin, but after the Unicot, it's up to a 4-5 after stropping on the TM.

My stainless blades hone up nicely and shave well, but nowhere near as smooth as the Wacker, even though they all get very solid undercutting all the way to the final polishing.
 
Interesting to see this thread wake up. I posted a year ago and my what a difference a year makes.

When I first started taping I didn't like the feedback compared to a naked blade. Scott said I would get used to it and it had the advantage of only giving feedback from the edge without the masking sensation of the spine. It turned out he was correct. I have a couple blades now with very high bevel angles so no tape for the primary sharpening and I don't like the feel now. I find I greatly prefer the more subtle feedback of the edge alone.

The tape doesn't create problems when I use it for sharpening, but for setting bevels it is a pain. The coarser grit and greater pressure create the problems Danjared refers to and I end up changing the tape a lot. But for the final dilucot and the secondary bevel tape wear isn't a problem with my stones and often I go through from beginning to end on one application. If the edge is really dull and I have to hone a lot I'll change it out in the last stages, but otherwise no drama.

It is entirely a case of personal preference, except when the bevel angle is too sharp and needs adjustment, but I've been won over.
 
What I can't believe is that there is a thread on using tape while honing that is on its third page without a post from Slash.
 
Silly question, but is there a thread with pics showing applied tape to the razor? I didn't see it in the stickies, and if there's something a stickie should have, it's tape.

And without intensifying debate, for a basic Dovo "Best" how many pieces of electrical tape is.. best?
Check out 4:30 to see the tape applied to rasoir. I can't say that I like the '3M Super 88' electrical tape that he recommends; leaves a sticky residue on removal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCCt4TSmoCo
 
I may be tossing in a curve ball, but it looks like the posts are heading in this direction... What is considered the best tape to use? I'll be sitting down to my first honing session soon and I would imagine that electrical tape is a bit thick. Surely, there are thinner tapes available that will hold up to the process and offer similar protection?
 
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I use tape all the time just to be consistant, no other reason for the most part.
Though I do have a couple of Str8's that don't give any kind of decent shave without setting the bevel with one layer of tape and then polishing with 3 layers, keens up the edge's nicely.
For the most part I just use one layer.:biggrin1:
 
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