Using Tape on Barber's Notch Type SR

[Twelvefret]

One of my very old Wade and Butcher Barber's Notch type is a near wedge. I should have used tape the first time, but didn't. Last night I did and the results are remarkably superior. The resulting shave was much better.

I also re-honed a 3/8 Garantie French tip need wedge with two layers. I speculate this razor may have started out as a 4/8, but it is more narrow than another 4/8 I have.

 

[buca3152]

With wedges it's a judgement call. The overwhelming majority can be honed without tape. The time it takes you to do so and the hone wear would dictate how to proceed. I've honed lots of wedges. And have owned several dozen over the years. I sold all of them. And find a hollow grind for maintenance purposes a better choice. Not trying to say anyone should or shouldn't. They shave the same to me. Others have a different view.

 

[Twelvefret]

With wedges it's a judgement call. The overwhelming majority can be honed without tape. The time it takes you to do so and the hone wear would dictate how to proceed. I've honed lots of wedges. And have owned several dozen over the years. I sold all of them. And find a hollow grind for maintenance purposes a better choice. Not trying to say anyone should or shouldn't. They shave the same to me. Others have a different view.

As a collector of experience, I have to own a few.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I don't care for wedges, myself. The hollowground razor was a tremendous technological leap forward. Honing is much simpler, and shaving to me is somewhat nicer.

On those rare occasions when I am stuck with honing a wedge, I usually hone flat with no tape until I have a bevel set or nearly so, then apply one layer of tape as I begin the finish grit, and then sometimes second layer for 4 to 5 finish laps. The flat honing removes or reduces the huge shoulder that builds up on a vintage wedge, giving the edge some relief. Then the single layer of tape very quickly refines the bevel and the final few laps with two layers adds a microbevel that is about 2deg more obtuse than the natural bevel angle, which on a wedge can be disastrously small. dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

 

[Twelvefret]

I don't care for wedges, myself. The hollowground razor was a tremendous technological leap forward. Honing is much simpler, and shaving to me is somewhat nicer.

On those rare occasions when I am stuck with honing a wedge, I usually hone flat with no tape until I have a bevel set or nearly so, then apply one layer of tape as I begin the finish grit, and then sometimes second layer for 4 to 5 finish laps. The flat honing removes or reduces the huge shoulder that builds up on a vintage wedge, giving the edge some relief. Then the single layer of tape very quickly refines the bevel and the final few laps with two layers adds a microbevel that is about 2deg more obtuse than the natural bevel angle, which on a wedge can be disastrously small. dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

I totally agree the hollows are better technology, but my goal is experience and not just getting a good shave.

I re-honed three wedges with tape, the 3/8 with two layers, and achieved more than what I have without.