I assume the use of tape a modern phenomenon? I assume they didn't have electrical tape in 1850 or whenever. I wonder if the straight razor then, was seen more as a tool whereas I view them as more of a collectors item. Definitely still a tool to shave with but also trying to maintain its original look while bringing it back to life.
My thoughts go something like this. Early on in honing most new honers tend to put a ton of pressure on the spine and not torque the pressure to the edge. During this time frame the new honer is very susceptible to stuffing the razor by causing premature wear on the spine. It is during this critical timeframe that the use of tape is not really an option. Once a person has honed a few hundred razors and has figured out the use of torque and can hone a razor from bevel set to finish without wearing a single layer of tape, then taping could be strictly optional. Getting back to the purist who believe that our forefathers did not use tape and therefore we should not either. Our forefathers also did not learn to hone using internet videos either. They learned hands on from someone that knew exactly what they were doing (hopefully). During the era of trying to recover lost information of days gone by we have advantages (tape) and disadvantages (limited professional grinders and honers) so we should use our resources wisely.
I tend to use, tape 1 layer, that said I have honed the odd razor without, My friends TI with 1 layer it does not sit right on the hones, when I tried it without it looked right and felt right. (it was a modern TI Dandy).
If the blade needs heavy work with low grit stones or if it's a wedge I'll use tape. If I'm using my normal touch up on a blade that starts with a 4 or 5k stone and minimal strokes, probably not. I think RezDog summed it up pretty accurately in his post. If you want to use tape I'm all for it. I will rely on sight, touch and feel for some jobs and tape if required for others.
I Just Honed these 3 Razors Tonight on a 1 K Naniwa Chosera & Naniwa Super Stone Progression..I Will Probably Finish All 3 of Em On My 16 K Escher Thuri.. The Gent I am Honing them for asked that the Fredrick Reynolds Sheffield & the Bockla Silben Solingen 4/8th be Honed with Tape on the Bevel Hone & Without Any Tape in the Progression..The Solingen on the Right is a Solingen I Got to Turn Over..I Honed it with Tape as Usual..The Hone Wear with the Razors Honed with No Tape is Negligible.. This Particular Genre or Era of Sheffield Steel Can Slide on My Higher Grit Synthetic Stones like Ice at the Best of Times without Due Care..Using No Tape Just Compounded that for Me..Not that it was a Problem..Just Don't Like the Feel.. Billy..
