Thread: Honing a Smile

Total newb here...

Picked up a G. Wostenholm for $10. Scales seem good (most likely bakelite or other early plastic, possibly a very hard rubber) but a bit of gunk in there, pins seem solid. Blade is in decent shape, no pits, some staining. No chips, nicks, or burrs to the naked eye. The spine is ever so slightly curved, and the cutting edge matches the curve (consistent width throughout the blade). I believe this is what is referred to as a smile? Hollow ground (don't feel qualified to say if it's full hollow, 1/2 hollow, or quarter hollow). The blade seems very narrow though, 4/8" from spine to edge by my measure (is this the proper measurement for the width, or do you measure from the inner edge of the spine?).

After cleaning up the gunk in the scales and putting a bit of polish on the blade, I intend to send it off for honing. My question is will there by any issue setting a bevel and putting a hone on due to the smile, or is it the same as a blade with a true straight edge? Any other considerations before sending it off for honing?

Thanks!

Cheers,

- HJ

Smilers take a different technique on the hones. often referred to as a rocking or rolling X stroke... Any of us that advertise in the Classifieds should be able to hone a smiler, if not they probably should take down their honing shingle

And yes the bevel is harder to set...