Thread: Dull Smile

Hey guys. I just got a Frederick Reynolds in a thrift store. Very cheap. It has a smile in the edge that follows the smile in the spine. In other words, it appears to have been made that way and not improperly honed. I can't quite get full contact with the entire edge when I hone. The heel and toe both trail to the point that they don't touch. It seems I should sweep or roll the blade when I hone. Does that sound right?

Smiling blades are honed with a rocking motion on the hone.

A smiling blade isn't necessarily improperly honed, even if it has a straight spine. At least some of the old barber's manuals taught the barbers to strive for that edge shape (check the barber's textbooks in the help files area).

I'm confused. Which definition is correct:

1. I've read on this site that a 'smile' in the blade is defined as a blade where, at the middle of the blade (between the toe and the heel) it is longer from edge to spine. So if one was holding the razor so that the spine was up toward the ceiling, and the blade was toward the floor, the middle of the blade would be closer to the floor than at the toe or the heel.

2. The blade is bent out of the plane of the blade so that it won't lie flat on the hone, i.e. the middle of the blade doesn't touch, while the toe and heel touch the hone.

E

No. 1 is correct.

My problem may be solved by honing more at heel and tip than in the middle.

I wanted to specify something. The rocking motion that MP mentioned is heel to toe and not spine to edge. Just slight pressure variances. I recommend a Skype honing session with X or Randy Tuttle. Good luck.

Great. That's what my instincts said but reading it assures me. Thanks.

I'd offer to help but I never hone in this room (just not a good setup) and I only have one smiler, and haven't touched that one in ages. I am actually applying this technique for my straight edges these days just to get more even hone wear.

Roger that.

Originally Posted by swampfox

Hey guys. I just got a Frederick Reynolds in a thrift store. Very cheap. It has a smile in the edge that follows the smile in the spine. In other words, it appears to have been made that way and not improperly honed. I can't quite get full contact with the entire edge when I hone. The heel and toe both trail to the point that they don't touch. It seems I should sweep or roll the blade when I hone. Does that sound right?

If definition no 1 is correct (and the blade is not bent out of the plane), then why would the smile in the blade keep the entire edge of your razor from touching the hone?