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Decorative spines & stropping/honing

OK, another question for the group - how do you all deal with a decorative spine? I recently honed and stropped a razor that has a pattern etched on the spine, and I observed a couple of things. First, on a pasted strop, the pattern did a great job of scooping up some of the paste on the strop. Second, on the plain strop, the razor just glided - the reduced surface area due to the etching dropped the friction dramatically. This razor just has a simple diamond pattern, nothing like some of the dramatic stuff on the customs I've seen about. I can't even imaging how some of those would scar my strop.

Thanks, everyone.

- tim
 
I just want to say I don't have one, but I've seen it mentioned a few times and I think in Joel's tutorial as well, that you put a piece of tape, like electrical tape(?) over the spine before you work with it. I'm sure someone more knowledgable will chime in.
 
Yeah, I've heard the tape thing. I just can't imaging reapplying tape each morning before stropping.

- tim
 
I've never had one scar or scratch a strop, and I've got some with sharp-cornered designs. They are good at removing paste, but taping the spine up once every few months or years doesn't seem like that big of a burden.
 
I seem to recall a post from Joel about wearing the tape down a little, so the additional thickness doesn't cause a change in the bevel. I figured the tape was to protect the spine from the hone, not so much the strop.

I just didn't expect there to be an issue with the pasted strop. My plain strop came through fine.

- tim
 
Yeah, I've heard the tape thing. I just can't imaging reapplying tape each morning before stropping.

- tim

Just to clarify, I was refering to using with the paste and/or hone. This way you don't scratch the spine. It's even more of an issue with a gold plated razor. On a regular strop it shouldn't be an issue. I don't think the spine should be pressed hard enough for it to make a difference, or am I mistaken?
 
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