Thread: what to expect from a convex/concave spine

good afternoon.

Over the week-end I read how to hone a convex/concave spine.

The edge not touching the stone evenly is a challenge to hone.

I was wondering, once you set the bevel and have a good edge, would you consider them good shaving tool?

I mean, if the edge is curved (following the spine), I would think it would not touche the face ''evenly''. Would that leave some stubs in certain area?

What are your thoughts?

Cheers.

Are you talking about the edge, it is curved, not straight when you put the edge on a flat surface?

If so, that is a smiling or frowning edge (the middle is higher than the heel and toe).

A smiling edge is honed using a Rolling X stroke, where only a small portion of the edge is in contact with the stone at a time, in a X pattern stroke lifting the heel enough to make contact during the stroke.

There are many threads on the technique, online, in the SRP library and good videos.

A frowning edge is a damaged edge from improper honing and must be repaired and made straight before honing.

In fact, i meant the spine is not straight causing a rolling x movementon one side of the blade and a movement that would end on the side of the stone to allow part of the edge to touch the stone

If you hold the blade vertical, looking at the spine, it curves to one side.

There are very few Razors that are actually straight

BUT

If you can see the curve it sounds like it might be time to look for a different razor

Razors that are a challenge to hone are one thing and quite common, trying to hone a potato chip is another matter..

Well the solution is the same, Rolling X. Roll down on the concave side, heel off the stone, and up on the convex side, so that the edge is on the stone as pressure is rolled from the heel to the toe.

As said most have some warp, how much is the warp? Put the blade on a flat surface and measure how high off the stone the middle of the spine is off the stone.

Photos would also help advise you.

I think he does not mean the side of the spine.... but the actual back... the absolute oposite line to the edge.... it actually is curved on many razors...

Sent from my SM-G903M using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by gabrielcr78

I think he does not mean the side of the spine.... but the actual back... the absolute oposite line to the edge.... it actually is curved on many razors...

Sent from my SM-G903M using Tapatalk

That is what I was thinking too. If the spine is curved/swaybacked the edge generally follows the curve of the spine giving you a smiling edge.

Yes, I do like my smiling edge razors. They do shave well.

Bob

Originally Posted by Jdefoy66

If you hold the blade vertical, looking at the spine, it curves to one side.

Photos of spine and bevel would help, but it sounds like it may have some major geometry issues. Can usually be made to shave, but they resist all the way.