lets have a new razor thread.

[kayman67]

It's quite useful for razors.

 

[vicv]

How? I can't see how tape would be used for sharpening. Is this a special polishing tape like the edge pro uses? I've used lapping film before on glass

 

[kayman67]

You tape the spine. It protects the spine and also makes the razor glide better and not unnecessarily load some stones. Some people also use it just to change the angle even so slightly, but it does improve some edges.

 

[kayman67]

 

[vicv]

The spine is specifically designed to be the angle guide. You lay the razor flat on the abrasive so the edge and the spine abrade evenly. Putting tape on the spine will in time change the geometry. This is a very bad idea.

 

[kayman67]

Yes and no. It is routine dependent.
Usually you should set the bevel without it. Unless it's a new razor and you just want to hone it and keep it like new for time being. On a very long run, I would agree.

Later with highest grits, it won't make much of a difference regarding this. The removal is just isn't there as much.
And since you should be able to keep an edge for months just by stropping on crox and plain leather, again the time frame is huge. You might not see significant changes for a decade.

 

[kayman67]

Another thing this is used for is making the bevel even, with different layers as needed.

Well, it definitely has its usages in all kinds of scenarios and it's a better tape for the job.

 

[vicv]

Fair enough. I don't see the point myself but with fine abrasives it shouldn't make a difference. And with a tiny angle change will cause a micro convex like a pasted strop will. Giving a smoother edge. I like the pasted strop myself

 

[Desert Rat]

Vic, if you look at the used kamisori razors on ebay you will notice the omote side being frequently wiped out. This is in part caused by the soft steel or iron body being forge welded to the hard steel edge. Had I not taped my washita's would have cut the soft body fine but not the edge, I would have ended up with a mess.

Kayman, I did have to change my knock off Kapton tape a couple of times. Is the real deal worth the extra cost?

 

[Desert Rat]

Humble guy, but I have picked so much by combing through his content. He recommended the Kapton tape to me also.

 

[kayman67]

I agree.

The "good" Kapton seems to be a lot more resilient. But changing the tape is easy and it's more of a inconvenience than a real problem. Applying it is very consistent and straightforward.

 

[Desert Rat]

Another Kamosori with a much different steel. I had never met a razor that a washita wouldn't cut before. This one looks like it could be from the same maker as the last one but the washita cut it fast and fine. Just for grins I took it as far as I could on the one stone and will try to shave off of it. It's kind of passing a HHT, more like able to whittle or split hairs so more on the low end but I will see how it goes.

 

[Matus]

I don’t tape the spine on my razors. The spine actually needs to loose material over time as that will help a little to keep the geometry of the edge (which wears and the razor slowly looses width, so it also needs to loose thickness). Plus if you do put the tape on the spine - you must keep it there until the finishing stone. But I want to enjoy the gliding of the blade on my Nakayama, not have a piece of plastic in the way.

 

[Desert Rat]

BTW shaving off a Washita is not a comfortable thing. I made it through a ATG pass and that is it. I had to try.....

 

[Desert Rat]

I took a chance on this little hone on the auction site. It was pretty rough and the label was almost completely covered in slurry. It could have turned out to be a carborundum it was so dirty. Looked like some kid tried to sharpen a chisel on it with deep gouges in the stone. I think it's a thuringian or maybe even an Escher? I came off a coticule with slurry and finished on it with out slurry. It's not fast but it is fine enough and the shave was exceptionally comfortable. Pretty good for a first go with the stone. I will probably see what it acts like with slurry next time.
It isn't going back in that box until it's cleaned up, nasty.

 

[stringer]

I took a chance on this little hone on the auction site. It was pretty rough and the label was almost completely covered in slurry. It could have turned out to be a carborundum it was so dirty. Looked like some kid tried to sharpen a chisel on it with deep gouges in the stone. I think it's a thuringian or maybe even an Escher? I came off a coticule with slurry and finished on it with out slurry. It's not fast but it is fine enough and the shave was exceptionally comfortable. Pretty good for a first go with the stone. I will probably see what it acts like with slurry next time.
It isn't going back in that box until it's cleaned up, nasty.

Looks like a Thuringian to me. The Celebrated Razor Water Hone. Nice score. I've been hunting for one.

 

[kayman67]

It should be a Thuringian. I don't see the label very well. Some had an Escher logo. Looks like there's the cup and the Made in Germany.
I had about 10 of these, various writings, but same type of box and size, mostly dark blue. All were nice stones, but some dark blue were finer than others, with no particular mark. So there's some variation.
Pretty common format in Europe, especially in the UK. Due to the war and a ban on German products, Made in Germany was removed from some labels and some of these stones were even labelled as being made in the UK.

If you want to see a billion Eschers, this guy had some nice stuff, check the channel
It's a bit disturbing that I know a few people that have even more, a lot more.

 

[Desert Rat]

Interesting finding on the thuringian. If I raise a slurry on it with a worn diamond plate like I sometimes do with a coticule the shave comfort and irritation goes way up. Dressed the stone on worn 1000 wet dry and the edge is back to being comfortable.

 

[kayman67]

I saw something similar with coticules. Even if they've been used for years, usually 600 and 1200 plates deliver very different slurry and edges.

 

[inferno]

Once again I can't argue with a guy with such a great name.
I've used crox too. Or in this case Lee Valley compound. It has some larger alox mixed in as well. I believe though it's important to have it as a hanging strop and it be denim. The abrasive type or size isn't important. I've also used cotton on a table and the results are not nearly as good
From my perspective the issue with just stones is it makes too sharp of an edge. Has too much bite and digs into skin as well and cutting hair. With a hanging pasted strop you're slightly rounding over the edge. Makes for a smoother shave. It's bad for knives good for shaving

hand american was the source for all pure crox.

 

[inferno]

I took a chance on this little hone on the auction site. It was pretty rough and the label was almost completely covered in slurry. It could have turned out to be a carborundum it was so dirty. Looked like some kid tried to sharpen a chisel on it with deep gouges in the stone. I think it's a thuringian or maybe even an Escher? I came off a coticule with slurry and finished on it with out slurry. It's not fast but it is fine enough and the shave was exceptionally comfortable. Pretty good for a first go with the stone. I will probably see what it acts like with slurry next time.
It isn't going back in that box until it's cleaned up, nasty.

if its a thuri/escher you can probably sell it for 500. and get real stones

 

[kayman67]

It is not that kind of Escher.

 

[inferno]

so guys have any of you tried the spyderco UF yet? the UF stone has several hundreds stray grit sticking up on the surface. and those can be easily knocked down with a spyderco white rod. done.

then that stone becomes the finest **** in the entire world. no ****. you can shave straight off the stone. i can at least. and i have very thick stubborn beard. coti+strop will definitely not cut it, but UF will. ymmv.

 

[inferno]

It is not that kind of Escher.

you are probably right. i know nothing of eschers and thuris to be honest, except i'm not getting one.

 

[zizirex]

My new toy and my first Kamisori. Iwasaki small size.

 

[Desert Rat]

if its a thuri/escher you can probably sell it for 500. and get real stones

If it was worth that it would be gone and I would be shopping for a JNAT. It's probably worth 100 on a good day and at that price I might as well keep it because it is a pretty good finisher.

 

[Desert Rat]

My new toy and my first Kamisori. Iwasaki small size.

That's really nice. Interesting that the toe looks safe on that new one. Shaves are so good with the Kamisori's but it's challenging for me to keep flipping back and forth so I don't use the westerns that often.

 

[pentryumf]

@Mattus, wisdom written.
"I want to enjoy the gliding of the blade on my Nakayama not have a piece of plastic in the way."
This matches my feeling in the tape discussion. Spine thickness must decrease with width of cutting face to remain a comfortable cutting experience.

 

[kayman67]

It's really not the issue is said to be. You are thinking years in advance or lots of honing sessions due to all kinds of reasons. I agree, but it's also usable. Because in a real life scenario, having a mint razor honed well would translate in using it for a very long time with the required strop maintenance. Guys did group tests for this a few years back.

 

[Razor]

There is so much misinformation on this thread I don't know where to start. The discussion on tape is so misguided and wrong; and the suggestion that stropping is not needed is laughable. I suggest sticking to knives on this forum where extreme expertise is abundant and leave razors to other forums where they have razor expertise.