Thread: Should there be a smile in this blade?

The curve of the edge seems to match the curve of the spine pretty closely.

I have another W&B special its at home right now so I can't compare but I don't remember it having the smile spine. I just don't know which is right to do. I want to remove the frown for sure tintin. I agree sqzbxr, the smile to me seems to match the spine so it seems like it is supposed to smile...

I have a couple that have smile spines and straighter edges. At the end of the day, it depends on what you want to do. To get the smile or straighten the edge, you'll have to remove metal from the heel and toe. It just varies on quantity. Try measuring with a caliper if you can, along the blade. Looks and pictures can be deceiving.

Originally Posted by dinnermint

I have a couple that have smile spines and straighter edges. At the end of the day, it depends on what you want to do. To get the smile or straighten the edge, you'll have to remove metal from the heel and toe. It just varies on quantity. Try measuring with a caliper if you can, along the blade. Looks and pictures can be deceiving.

toe= .651 center=.640 heel=.662 it is definitely bigger toe and heel dinnermint. I was looking in the library and seem to see info on honing a razor with a smile but did not really see much on relieving a frown. I have moderate honing experience just my own razors what stroke removes the frown?

I would say that it is most definitely supposed to have a smile. The frown may also be a flat from a previous owner trying to hone the smile out of it - or just poor technique. Either way, it should be easy enough to correct while bevel setting and routine after that. I have a Joseph Rodgers smiling half hollow that is a superb shaver.

That is a great looking Joseph and sons

I would say it should have a smile as well. Here is are a couple of production smilers, and a custom Livi I took a pic of to show a smile sometime back ;

Thanks for sharing the photos gents. I found a thread about how to remove the frown in the advanced honing section, so now I guess my question is this, to keep the smile or return the smile remove frown first then revise the smile? The 3 blades I have messed with honing have been my own and all straight thus far so this will be a fun learning experience

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

Thanks for sharing the photos gents. I found a thread about how to remove the frown in the advanced honing section, so now I guess my question is this, to keep the smile or return the smile remove frown first then revise the smile? The 3 blades I have messed with honing have been my own and all straight thus far so this will be a fun learning experience

If it was mine, from what I can see in the photo, I think I would throw a piece of tape on the spine and just hone it with a rolling stroke like I was going along with the smile. When I got down just to a bit nearly past the frown I'd start to go through a progression, sharpening to finishing. Here is the 1961 barber manual PDF from the SRP library which talks about smiling razors and their benefits.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If it was mine, from what I can see in the photo, I think I would throw a piece of tape on the spine and just hone it with a rolling stroke like I was going along with the smile. When I got down just to a bit nearly past the frown I'd start to go through a progression, sharpening to finishing. Here is the 1961 barber manual PDF from the SRP library which talks about smiling razors and their benefits.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf

^ this.

You're only just over a hundredth off, just keep the toe and heel on the hone longer during a rolling x-stroke to compensate for the extra material.