Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 22
Like Tree21Likes

Thread: Honing and stropping question

  1. #1
    Member GaryDrainville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    35
    Thanked: 2

    Default Honing and stropping question

    If electrical tape is used when honing a razor - why is it not important to use tape when stropping the razor?

    I was just thinking about this when I watched a video where it was explained that when maintaining a honed razor I should stick to whatever the razor was honed with.

    Gary

  2. #2
    Senior Member MrHouston's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    274
    Thanked: 70

    Default

    I've been wondering the same, esp when multiple layers of tape are used.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    1,091
    Thanked: 292

    Default

    A hone is hard and presumably flat. When you strop, you are using a material that has some flexibility like balsa wood, cloth or leather. While tape does change the apex angle of the edge slightly when honing, the flexibility of the stropping material is generally sufficient to accommodate the slight change in angle when stropping.

    I use basswood for my my 0.25 micron CBN pasted strop. Basswood is less flexible than balsa, so in that case, it might be helpful to use tape if the razor was honed with tape. For leather and fabric strops, there is no need to be concerned.
    32t, BobH, RezDog and 2 others like this.

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to RayClem For This Useful Post:

    drsmoothak (09-28-2017), GaryDrainville (09-28-2017)

  5. #4
    Member GaryDrainville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    35
    Thanked: 2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RayClem View Post
    A hone is hard and presumably flat. When you strop, you are using a material that has some flexibility like balsa wood, cloth or leather. While tape does change the apex angle of the edge slightly when honing, the flexibility of the stropping material is generally sufficient to accommodate the slight change in angle when stropping.

    I use basswood for my my 0.25 micron CBN pasted strop. Basswood is less flexible than balsa, so in that case, it might be helpful to use tape if the razor was honed with tape. For leather and fabric strops, there is no need to be concerned.
    Thanks, I never considered the flexing of the strop and makes complete sense.

    Gary

  6. #5
    Senior Member Jnatcat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Katy Texas
    Posts
    1,041
    Thanked: 135

    Default

    Tape really does not change the angle that much, it's mostly used by guys that either hone for someone or hone there own razor to keep spine wear away but sometines a layer or two is needed to get the bevel angle correct but that's another story and as stated not necessary to use when stropping.
    "A Honer's adage "Hone-Shave-Repeat"

    ~William~

  7. #6
    Sharp Minded Citizen
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Bucharest
    Posts
    434
    Thanked: 156

    Default

    I personaly dont use the tape when stropping....it can get friction burned/worn and i'd hate to have glue from underneath the tape contamine the leather...or small plastic shavings....

    Like most of the fine gentlemen here have mentioned....the stropp has some give to it...a hard paddle strop less...a cut paddle stropp a bit more...a loom strop a bit more...and a hanging strop...well how much you need...the amount of ''give''is adjusted by hand tension.

    It would be correct to use the tape when stropping especialy when multiple layers were used....in theory it would be logical....
    In practice I have seen no diffrence or improvement in using the tape when stropping...I doo use hanging strops...I have not used a hard paddle strop in @5-6years...so I cant speek for that...but even on a hard paddle the leather should have a bit of give to it and manage to hit the edge.

    Try it both ways...see what you like best...I personaly hate rubbing plastic on my precious stropps
    32t likes this.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to ovidiucotiga For This Useful Post:

    GaryDrainville (09-28-2017)

  9. #7
    Member GaryDrainville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    35
    Thanked: 2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ovidiucotiga View Post
    I personaly dont use the tape when stropping....it can get friction burned/worn and i'd hate to have glue from underneath the tape contamine the leather...or small plastic shavings....

    Like most of the fine gentlemen here have mentioned....the stropp has some give to it...a hard paddle strop less...a cut paddle stropp a bit more...a loom strop a bit more...and a hanging strop...well how much you need...the amount of ''give''is adjusted by hand tension.

    It would be correct to use the tape when stropping especialy when multiple layers were used....in theory it would be logical....
    In practice I have seen no diffrence or improvement in using the tape when stropping...I doo use hanging strops...I have not used a hard paddle strop in @5-6years...so I cant speek for that...but even on a hard paddle the leather should have a bit of give to it and manage to hit the edge.

    Try it both ways...see what you like best...I personaly hate rubbing plastic on my precious stropps
    Thank for the reply, I was more curious than anything really. I can't imagine using electrical tape with my strop - have been getting decent results so no tape, based only on my newbie experience level. lol

  10. #8
    Member GaryDrainville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    35
    Thanked: 2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jnatcat View Post
    Tape really does not change the angle that much, it's mostly used by guys that either hone for someone or hone there own razor to keep spine wear away but sometines a layer or two is needed to get the bevel angle correct but that's another story and as stated not necessary to use when stropping.
    For maintaining a razor is it recommended that tape be used if the razor was initially honed that way? I've just received a Kamisori from Brian Brown (awesome razor with my two shaves by the way) and he had a note included with the razor stating it was honed using tape - is this info for when further touch ups are done? However, my decent razors will not see s hone by me - not yet anyway.

    Gary

  11. #9
    ~ Life is but a Dream ~ petercp4e's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Oakham, Ma.
    Posts
    3,833
    Thanked: 1217

    Default

    I have a couple of custom razors where the jimps on the top of the spine extend up the blade a bit.
    If I don't use tape on these while stropping they will scrape up the strop in very short order.
    Of course I learned this the hard way.
    Normally though, no tape while stropping.

    Pete <:-}
    "Life is short, Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, Kiss Slowly,
    Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret ANYTHING
    That makes you smile." - Mark Twain

  12. #10
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    17,250
    Thanked: 3221

    Default

    Yup, that info is for use when putting the blade to the hones. If you honed without tape it would take very little to reset the bevel to the new angle. IIRC using a layer of tape changes the angle 1 degree or less.

    Bob
    Life is a terminal illness in the end

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to BobH For This Useful Post:

    GaryDrainville (09-28-2017)

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •