Got a wedge from the bay, should I tape it?

[blackhhawk]

Never honed one like this. I know I'll need a rolling stroke for the smile, but should I use tape? It seems okay without it on the Chosera 1k, not sure if I'll run into problems later though.

View attachment 376611View attachment 376612View attachment 376613

 

[buca3152]

Magic marker test to see. Mark spine and edge.

 

[ACorazza]

I would try without tape and if that is unsuccessful tape and finish, almost like moving from dilucot to unicot. That is what I usually do.

 

[Gamma]

Hard to tell from the pix, what I see is some good honewear, telling me it might not have been taped before.
The bevel seems to be fairly wide - combined witht the spine wear, it seems that it probably wasn't honed on tape.
Can't say for sure, that's a guess.
Me - I'd make the decision to tape or not tape based on the bevel's angle.
What was done before is almost irrelevant at this point - what matters is what you want to do with the blade.
Sure, you can follow the previous honer but that could turn out to be the wrong decision.
If you just want to hone it - to hone it - then I guess playing follow the leader is fine.
But - if you check the angle - then you'll really know what's up.

I hate using tape - but I'll use it on a big blade like yours if it puts the angle where I want it.
A very steep angle on a wedge can be fun - but tedious; too obtuse of an angle is just awful.

It's very possible that the angle is fine, both the bevel and the spine show wear and neither wear pattern is really screaming out that the blade was abused with heavy-handed honing.
Again - that's a guess based on what I can see. I'm sure there's a lot I can't see - so decide wisely.

 

[alpster]

I pretty much ruined a nice W&B wedge honing without tape. I got another big chopper wedge like yours and used tape, 3 layers, and it shaves very well now. I think you could try with tape and if you don't like the results, you can scrap the edge, remove the tape and start over again, but if you grind off too much of the spine, like I did, it's harder to go back and start over. JMHE

 

[Kentos]

No tape on wedges for me. I like a big fat bevel on a razor...that's what gives some of the wedge it's "wedgey" feel IMO. You can always tape later. But once you tape, it will need tape forever, unless you love rubbing steel on a 1k.

 

[blackhhawk]

I'll check the angle on it tonight. I don't know why I didn't yesterday. Around 17 degrees is ideal, right?

My main concern was the blade sharpening easily. I have another near wedge with a lot of hone wear and on the JNAT it seemed to stick and it felt weird. I think this was due to so much metal making contact with the stone. I did a test for this last night and I didn't get that problem so I just went right to the 1k C and started setting the bevel.

I did did some reading about wedges on coticule.be and once I check the angle and figure out if it's good, it looks fairly easy to hone one of these as long as I have the rolling stroke right, and I think I do. I wasn't sure if there was something else I was missing that the tape did. I recall always hearing wedges get honed with tape, but from the looks of it I shouldn't need any.

 

[Doc226]

I agree I would check the bevel and PRAY it needs a layer of tape.

I tend to hone wedges with one layer of tape, it makes it easier. I don't like using more than one layer since the tape tends to compress a bit when honing.

Honing without tape takes patience, it take a longer time to get the bevel set, once set the rest of the progression is the same.

 

[Seraphim]

Should I hone with a layer of tape?

Sure, why not?

Might as well have your momma hold your hand and bake you some milk and cookies while you're at it.


C'Mon now! Hone that thang!

 

[Brooksie967]

I have one wedge I should have taped. When I started honing I got a beautiful wedge with wonderful etching on the blade. Razor is a 6/8+ Joseph Elliot's Celebrated Razor with a maltese cross and a C beside it on the tang and the etching was some kind of cherub scene or something, it's too far gone to tell. Bevel is about 3/16ths+ wide This is the nearest wedge I have ever attempted to hone:

 

[Doc226]

 

[alpster]

Is this normal? Because this is what I did to a nice looking blade. It shaved OK, but looked like hell.

 

[buca3152]

Function before form. Its purpose is to shave with. If it doesn't shave right then its useless. I really dont like to use tape and never do on my own blades.

 

[blackhhawk]

Yep thats what my other one looks like. It was warped a little though too so that is part of the reason why.

I'm honing this wade and butcher on the side of the chosera and its working out very very well. Can I lap the side of my JNAT and hone that way too? haha... Rolling strokes were working when honing on the regular face of the chosera but the side is definitely way easier.