Thread: Honing a frown due to a warped blade

Anyone have any recommendations on how to hone a warped blade? Long story short, I received a Dovo Gentleman that came with a slight frown new from the factory. I sent it back to the vendor and, due to some fine print BS, ended up receiving it back at a significant discount. I am suspicious that the dealer knew it was warped and merely touched it up to knock down the frown without actually sharpening it.

The spine appears to be straight So, can I put tape on the spine which corresponds to the low spots of the blade in order to prevent uneven wear?

If the spine is straight then there should be no difficulty correcting it. You need to eliminate the frown by honing with the spine fully off of the hone by about a 45 degree angle.

Once you confirm the frown is completely gone, you can tape the spine in a normal manner, not in the corrective way you suggested, and hone with a rolling x stroke with the blade at a heel leading position. That is, position the blade during the stroke so that the blade is not perpendicular to the long side of the hone but it is instead at about a 45 degree angle relative to that long side during the x stroke. As long as you change the tape regularly you will be fine.

If the spine is straight but the edge side of the blade is warped you may end up with differing bevel widths, but that will not alter the functionality of the razor-- just its aesthetics.

Thanks Utopian, your response makes me feel a little better but I still have questions. If I get rid of the frown and re hone, the blade is still warped. While honing, won't one side of the blade want to smile and the other side want to frown all over again? Or are you saying that if I use X strokes and keep the blade at a 45 degree angle that that prevents a frown from reoccurring?

I think we might have a semantics problem here.

A warped blade references a blade that is bent so that if forms a very slight "C" shape. If you lay a warped blade on its side on a flat one, one side would be touching the hone in the middle and the two ends would be farther away. If you flipped that blade over, then the two ends would be touching the blade and the middle would be farther from the hone.

A smiling blade can be identified by trying gently to touch the full length of the edge to the flat hone while the spine is directly above the edge so that faces of the blade are perpendicular to the hone's surface. In that position, a smiling blade only will be touching the hone along the middle of the blades edge. A frowning blade will be touching the hone in to or more places but not making contact along the rest of the blade's edge.

Does this match your definitions?


IF a blade is warped and has a frown, then the removal of the frown will not eliminate the warp, but proper honing would allow the edge either to remain straight or, if desired, smiling. One side cannot be frowning while the other is smiling, any more than one side of the blade could be 6/8" wide while 7/8" wide on the other. The smile or frown is outlined by the edge profile of the blade.

I agree...I think we are getting hung up on poor communication (at least my poor communication.) What I meant was...with a warped blade, if I only honed one side and just kept honing one side then, instead of just an uneven bevel from one side to the other, I would end up with either a smile or frown depending on what side I am honing. At best, if I hone both sides evenly, I would end up with an uneven bevel?

Another way to describe it: On one side, only the metal on the toe and heel are being removed (smile). On the other side, only the metal on the belly is being removed (frown)

Will X strokes and honing at a 45 degree angle eliminate any issues a warped blade would have or would I still have a higher bevel on the belly of one side and a high bevel on the toe and heel of the other side?

If the spine is straight, it is not warped.

Are you trying to make the bevels even from heel to toe and on both sides?

I have no idea what you are asking, perhaps if you post photos….

Originally Posted by Blamo

I agree...I think we are getting hung up on poor communication (at least my poor communication.) What I meant was...with a warped blade, if I only honed one side and just kept honing one side then, instead of just an uneven bevel from one side to the other, I would end up with either a smile or frown depending on what side I am honing.

YES! I understand your point now. It was an even/or statement. I could not understand a smile on one side with a frown on the other but now I understand.

Originally Posted by Blamo

At best, if I hone both sides evenly, I would end up with an uneven bevel?

Yes, the result would be an uneven bevel. Wide bevels on the ends with a narrow bevel in the middle and just the opposite on the other side. This may not be pretty, but as long as there is a bevel that reaches all the way to allow the bevels to meet along the entire length of the blade, then you will have a perfectly functional shaving edge.

Originally Posted by Blamo

Will X strokes and honing at a 45 degree angle eliminate any issues a warped blade would have or would I still have a higher bevel on the belly of one side and a high bevel on the toe and heel of the other side?

You described the spine as being straight and yet the blade as being warped. This is possible with improper grinding but this is a much easier blade flaw to deal with. The spine is your guide and a straight spine will make honing this easier. The 45 degree angle will help you keep more of the spine on the hone. Are you familiar with the rolling x stroke? That really is going to be the solution to this. If you are unfamiliar with it, just say so and I'll add more detail.

Waiting for the X stroke explanation. This is going to be tough to explain. I need to learn this one a bit better myself.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...lling_X_stroke
This is from the Library and gives a good explanation with pictures

I like Dr. Matt's videos on warped blades & how to fix them. The "Tap & Wobble"test is explained in these videos & it is a easy & fast test to see if you have any problems.

Slawman