Tape and diamond pasted strops

[narrowman]

Didn't quite know which forum to post this in (honing or stropping).

I have a vintage razor that was honed with the spine taped (shaves great by the way). I have started to use diamond pasted balsa strops to maintain my edges between shaves which seems to be working out well.

Question is...can I use the pasted balsa on this tape-honed razor without re-taping the spine for stropping on the balsa or would I need to re-hone the razor using no tape before hitting the pasted balsa?

 

[JoWolf]

Diamond paste is an abrasive embedded in balsa. Anything rubbed on it will be ground down and leave a deposit. You Would in essence be taping over your paste. Plus without the tape the apex of the edge would miss the abrasive. Tape on a spine is to raise the spine off the stone to increase the bevel angle. From being too steep or acute too an obtuse or wider angle. 15 degree bevel angle with tape would bring that angle up to 16 degrees. 15 too 19 is considered the range of best effective angles on a beveled edge for razors and a comfortable shave. Some spines are tapped to protect decorative etching and engraving on the spine. There are good reasons to tape. Your taped spine must be touched up on a stone with tape to keep the present angle. Balsa can only polish or touch up the edge on your set bevel. It can not change the angle only honing can. As the spine wear thins with honing the angle becomes steeper. Tape and in some cases multiple tape strips are required for excessive spine wear.

Your options are stropping. A touch up with tape on the spine. You could use a razor hone. A honing stone above 8k. If the edge is beyond touch up ie. chips on the edge. You need to have it re honed. If the set taped bevel angle is a comfortable shave for you than it needs to be taped.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

By your own admission, the pasted balsa seems to be working well on a razor that was honed with tape. If you feel it's working, then it's working.

I have a couple of razors that we're honed with tape (wedges) and they get the same balsa treatment as those honed without tape. Seems to work for me too.

Just don't use the balsa with tape. It will totally mess up your balsa. Don't ask how I know...

 

[bluesman 7]

The bevel reveal width comes into play also. Assuming some numbers for clarity .007" tape, .625" active width of the razor with a .02" bevel reveal. When the tape is removed, the back side of the bevel reveal will act as a fulcrum lifting the edge .000231" or less that a quarter of 1 thousandth of an inch. A .04" bevel reveal width would raise the edge a bit more than double that amount.

If the deflection of the balsa is enough or the balsa 'hairs' contact the edge it may work fine, and like Alan says above. "If you feel that it is working, it is working".

 

[R7photo]

Question
Do you guys shave off 0.5 micron diamond spray directly or after stropping on 0.5 pasted balsa , do your normal strop routine on leather

 

[LJS]

Question
Do you guys shave off 0.5 micron diamond spray directly or after stropping on 0.5 pasted balsa , do your normal strop routine on leather

My opinion is you always want to strop on clean leather before shaving. No matter what step preceded.

Be sure and wash/wipe the razor clean so you don’t contaminate your clean strop as that can be easy to do.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Question
Do you guys shave off 0.5 micron diamond spray directly or after stropping on 0.5 pasted balsa , do your normal strop routine on leather

.5u is normally the first of three grades of diamond paste in the balsa progression. Almost nobody stops at .5u diamond on balsa, as it seems to make a rather harsh edge. Same with .25u. You have to get all the way to .1u before the magic really starts happening. This is usually done after the shave. Generally we strop on clean hanging leather before the shave. Diamond spray is seldom used though I am sure that there are some guys who use it, I have no use for it, myself. YMMV and all that, but if you follow The Method exactly, precisely, following the directions exactly with absolute complete attention to detail, you will be quite pleasantly surprised. If you leave something out or freestyle something, you will probably wonder why so many guys swear by it, because the results will be nothing special.

You will find that the consensus is that nothing should be done to the edge between the clean leather stropping, and the shave. Feel free to experiment on your own and the truth shall set you free.

 

[R7photo]

Thx u for clarification