a little clarity?

[jimmie]

I come across many terms I don't know. I know about these two but I don't know the best way to do it or exactly what it is

muting the toe
killing the blade

why exactly do we kill the blades? as opposed to just going at it as a bevel set?

muting the toe is safer. safer than what, how is it an unmuted toe cut you? now I know you will say experience answers these questions and I'm sure they do but I will probably actually try to mute a toe before I use a muted toe. unless I have one with a muted toe LOL?

 

[GearNoir]

Some razors have very sharp toes, like Spanish points, they can cut you up pretty good if you aren’t careful.

Kill the blade is starting the edge over essentially.

 

[jimmie]

so you just grind it off or round it off basically?

 

[MilkCrate]

Muting the point means to dull it. Mute a small section of the point of a Spanish or square tip with glass.

You can use that same glass or the side of your stone to kill an edge. It just means to dull it.

 

[bluesman]

so you just grind it off or round it off basically?

On a microscopic scale.

 

[Gasman]

I have used a piece of hardwood to mute a point. As Victor says, on a microscopic scale. You can do this and not see the difference, but it may save you a little blood if you make a slight wrong move during your shave.

To kill an edge is to run the edge across a stone at 90 degrees. or glass or any hard surface. You are taking the very edge of the blade and grinding it off. At this point, it would not shave but can still cut you depending on how the edge was to start with.