honing on tape my first time

[garyhaywood]

I have never been one for honing on tape but as i am using a couple of razors as method tester and keep dulling them i thought i'd tape the spine so i don't wear them out if i ever do. I did the dilucot method on them both on two differant coticule. They both passed hht alot easier than normal under 30k loop i could clearly see new bevels i had formedand the part of the old one at the back of new one. I shaved this morning with both razors doing one each side. The razors both shaved unbelievably smooth smoother than ever before bearing in mind i have honed these razor many times and gotten great shaves but this time even better i did'nt think i could get better. I honed throught the whole process with tape on spine and removed tape to strop i swear altering the spine angle made all the differance. I would recomend trying it.

I'd like to hear any ones opinion on this and what they think and why this would be?

I've only ever done this twice apart from creating a secondry bevel but both razors felt smoother and glided through stubble first time round?

 

[Bart]

If I understand your post well, you did a Dilucot procedure with the spine of the razor taped from start to finish, and you got a better edge than when you did the same Dilucot without tape attached to the spine?

I think there can be only one explanation:
Your razor had an "untaped" bevel, which is shallower than a "taped" bevel.
When you switched to taped, even after dulling on glass, the hone immediately started to work on the very edge, much like it works with the Unicot method at the point where the tape is introduced.
That way you're much more likely to hit the maximum keenness level you can get of the hone. With the Dilucot, that still is more challenging if you start with a bevel that is entirely touching the bevel from the start. Your bevel was only touching the hone with its very tip, this time. But next time, you'll start honing with the taped bevel angle, and I expect to razors to respond like you were previously used to it.

I hone untaped, but sometimes taped upon request of the owner of the razor. Except for that one time advantage when you make the switch over from taped to untaped, I never really witnessed any special advantage or disadvantage to tape or not.

Does this make sense to you Gary?

By the way: yesterday I shaved again with the John Clarke & Co you send me for assessment of your honing skills. One of the best shaves I ever had. I'm already anxious having to dull that baby and match up to the edge you managed to put on it. An amazing job. B)

Bart.

 

[garyhaywood]

If I understand your post well, you did a Dilucot procedure with the spine of the razor taped from start to finish, and you got a better edge than when you did the same Dilucot without tape attached to the spine?

yes that is correct

I think there can be only one explanation:
Your razor had an "untaped" bevel, which is shallower than a "taped" bevel.
When you switched to taped, even after dulling on glass, the hone immediately started to work on the very edge, much like it works with the Unicot method at the point where the tape is introduced.
That way you're much more likely to hit the maximum keenness level you can get of the hone. With the Dilucot, that still is more challenging if you start with a bevel that is entirely touching the bevel from the start. Your bevel was only touching the hone with its very tip, this time. But next time, you'll start honing with the taped bevel angle, and I expect to razors to respond like you were previously used to it.

I hone untaped, but sometimes taped upon request of the owner of the razor. Except for that one time advantage when you make the switch over from taped to untaped, I never really witnessed any special advantage or disadvantage to tape or not.

Does this make sense to you Gary?

yes it does

By the way: yesterday I shaved again with the John Clarke & Co you send me for assessment of your honing skills. One of the best shaves I ever had. I'm already anxious having to dull that baby and match up to the edge you managed to put on it. An amazing job. B)

Bart.

If you want bart you can leave it as it is i don't mind but its nice you have found my honing to be good which makes me feel i'm getting there. I can say that razor is so easy to hone i don't no why i think it down to the steel i can always manage to get razors to shave with out pulling no probs but achieving smoothness as well is another story some times i find they shave but could be smoother i'm getting real picky now at one time i'd of been more than happy for my razor to shave with out pulling but i like them to be super smooth and i find that can be harder to achieve.

 

[Bart]

If you want bart you can leave it as it is (...)

Ah no. It will be dulled and I will match up.
How can I resist such a challenge.

Talking about smoothness...
At the end of the day, even a Coticule cannot alter the grain of the steel.
Some razors just shave smoother than others. When properly honed, they will all shave well and free of pull, but some razors do reach that stage where my whiskers start to enjoy being shaved, instead of only not minding about it.
For that to happen, everything needs to be perfect. The edge, the stropping, the lather, my mood... But it does happen easily with some razors and never with others. I think that's where honing stops and metallurgic alchemy begins...

But that razor you sent me sure shaves nice.

Bart.

 

[garyhaywood]

If you want bart you can leave it as it is (...)

Ah no. It will be dulled and I will match up.
How can I resist such a challenge.

Talking about smoothness...
At the end of the day, even a Coticule cannot alter the grain of the steel.
Some razors just shave smoother than others. When properly honed, they will all shave well and free of pull, but some razors do reach that stage where my whiskers start to enjoy being shaved, instead of only not minding about it.
For that to happen, everything needs to be perfect. The edge, the stropping, the lather, my mood... But it does happen easily with some razors and never with others. I think that's where honing stops and metallurgic alchemy begins...

But that razor you sent me sure shaves nice.

Bart.

I find if i test shave and its to often because i'm in patient and my skin is'nt up to it this can have an efect and give wrong impression of a razor. I find to get real test shave it is best on a good two day growth.