Unicot edge maintenance

[DG7]

When using Unicot, and touching it up from time to time like in the instructions, using a layer of tape and just water, how many times can you expect to do this before needing to do redo things without tape and a little slurry? I know the answer is "it depends", but are we talking 2-3? 5? 10?

Also, instead of redoing the edge without tape and a little slurry, what about just keeping on touching up with water and a layer of tape? Does this eventually get to the point as if you had originally done a Dilucot with a layer of tape?

Just wondering, thanks.

 

[Paul]

From the "unicot article"

Because of the small cutting bevel, a Coticule with water is
very effective for touching up the razor. This is best done at
the earliest signs of edge deterioration (30 laps should suffice).
Obviously, tape must be reapplied for this task. With
each touch-up the secondary bevel grows a bit wider, until
we reach the point where the Coticule with only water will
no longer offer adequate sharpening puissance. This is easily
remedied by some work without tape, which allows the initial
bevel to grow in favor of the secondary bevel that has no
choice but to diminish. About 30 laps on slurry should bring
the secondary bevel within reach of the Coticule with water
again.

 

[Bart]

In fact, if you do your touchups on time, you can just keep doing them. Eventually the secondary bevel will completely replace the primary bevel. At that point the edge will be as if you did an entire sharpening (e.g. Dilucot) with a layer of tape attached to the spine. There are plenty of guys who always tape before honing, because they like to prevent wear on an ornamented spine, or because they don't like spine wear.
Anyway, once the secondary bevel has replaced the primary bevel, it of course becomes an edge with just one singular bevel, like a "normal" razor. Since it is perfectly possible to touch up normal edge, there is no reason why you could continue to touch up like usual.
But it is true that initially, the small secondary bevel will be easier to touchup than a wider singular bevel. If you ever feel that your touchups aren't as effective as they used to be, you can rely on what Paul put in the previous post.

Best regards,
Bart.