Thread: To Smile or not to smile...

After reading countless posts it seems the general opinion is that a smile on the blade is a bad thing. Implying that a flat edge is optimum. But I noticed that in the old barbers manual posted in the library it says that there should be a slight smile on the blade. Am I reading this wrong or was this just something they believed in the past but has since been considered incorrect?

I believe, from what I've read (I'm still a newbie to this kind of stuff), that smile is good and frown is bad. I think we need the experts on this one...

I don't think I have seen anyone suggest that a smiling blade is a bad thing and I love a smiling blade myself!

My take on the barber's manuals is this: there is nothing wrong with a flat edge for shaving but, over time, unless deliberate measures are taken, a concave (frown) edge will naturally develop. Especially with poor honing technique.
Obviously this type of edge will not shave well at all. Therefore the barber's manuals teach a specific honing method to develop the convex (smile) edge which shaves just as well, if not better than, a flat edge. Some razor manufacturers have helped to avoid this by just making a razor with a convex edge.

Scott

I see. In that case it was probably me mis-interpreting what I was reading. I just seem to remember people reviewing ebay purchases and pointing out the smiles. I assumed they were noted in a negative way.

So am I to understand that a smile on a blade is possibly more preferable than a perfectly straight edge?

Is this because it allows the edge to cut the hairs at an angle, slicing them as opposed to chopping them?

Smiles are always better than frowns. Turn that frown upside down!

Yes, a little on the angle. A smile, as I understand it, has less cutting surface too, therefore less pull. I don't own one though, so I'm not speaking from experience. I build in the smile on flat edges.

I have several blades that came new with a contour to the edge which is basically a smile and they shave great. So yes a smile is a good thing.

A smile is certainly another element to learn in honing. I haven't got the hang of honing smiles yet frankly.

It is also seems to require a little more finesse to shave with.

But a big old smiling wedge is a pleasure to behold and I am quite taken with them despite the fact I haven't figured out how to hone em or shave with them

- Bob

Honing a smile is really useful for some of the old, slightly warped wedges.

I have found that it is fairly easy to hone a flat, straight razor, because so much of the edge is in contact with the stone that a little excessive pressure doesn't cause the thin edge to break away.

Once the razor is smiling, you have less of the edge in contact with the stone, so a light touch is critical, otherwise you will chip or damage that nice thin point you are trying to create where the two bevels meet.

My trick with shaving with a smiler is to use lots of short strokes instead of long wide strokes on the razor. They are really nice to use under your nose and around the corners of your lips, the can get into hollows a little easier.

But, remember where that blade is. If you move too carelessly, ouch!