Thread: Curvature of a razor's edge

When stropping the razor below I have trouble getting the toe portion as sharp as the middle and heel. I can correct this issue by raising the handle a tiny bit at the end of each stroke. Do you think there is too much curve at the toe end of the blade? If there is the only way to fix it (as I see it) is to use a coarse stone and "hone" some steel from the middle. This doesn't hinder the razor's ability to shave well at all. Except maybe for my sideburns right in front of my ears where the end of the razor will cut my ear if I'm not careful. I can lift the middle of the edge off my cheek so the curved portion at the toe is touching my skin. Needing to do this is what made me aware the toe portion around the curve wasn't quite as sharp as the rest of the edge. I checked the sharpness with a hanging hair test and the middle and heel cut the hair MUCH better than the toe section.

Does the edge look about normal and I just need to raise the handle a bit to get to that portion of the edge? I also would need to raise the handle on stones or some other change to reach the very end of the edge.

Should I remove steel from the middle of the edge by using a coarse stone (320 or 1k) to create a straighter line between heel and toe? Then progress through the grits to re-hone the edge.

I appreciate any advice.

That is one way to do the honing of that smiling razor. And it should become a favored shaver. There are quite a few honing videos in the Wiki.
Each razor and its own honing history presents a new problem.
~Richard

Here are a few honing videos by Randydancer who is my mentor and Utopian also. Members in good standing here:
A few good honing videos by Randy And Ron

Don't do anything hasty! Myself I would not hone out the smile. Someone with more experience than me should be along shortly to give you some advice and answer your questions.

Your edge looks fine to me,,, many old razors & new customs have a "Smile' to them,,,, yours has a slight one & that's fine. I would not raise the razor when stropping, as you might cut your strop.

In this section on "Purchasing Straight Razors' ,, scroll down to the part on "smiling razors" to get a look at razors similiar to yours.

Purchasing straight razors - Straight Razor Place Library

Look into the honing section of the library & watch some of the videos related to honing this type of an edge.




Category:Honing - Straight Razor Place Library

See? Someone who is a much quicker typer than i am already did.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that blade. In fact, smiling blades are preferred by some of us.
Simply adjust your strokes to make contact with the edge as you suggested.

To make proper contact,use an X stroke on the strop

that only a slight grin nothing wrong with that blade at all
Now this is a smile possibly even a full laugh going on here LOL


http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...red-devil.html

I'm left wondering if you don't need it touched up and how good the edge on it is now. Where did you have it honed? If the edge really isn't sharp evenly along and you are new it is probably best to have it professionally sharpened. If you have your location in your profile then you may find people local to you that can show you a thing or two.

Thanks for the comments guys. I guess for now I'll leave it as is. When it needs re-honing I may try to get the edge a bit straighter but not much. I could use Lynn's "circle" method keeping the curvature at the toe off the stones. Then again I'll probably get used to it and just leave it. I feel like that based on the comments that this "smile" isn't that bad.

Rezdog, I've been learning to hone my own razors for almost a year and I want to be able to maintian my own razors. The edge came shave ready when I bought it and now I'm getting better at honing and stropping. My edges will cut hair with the haning hair test and cut arm hair above the skin. I may have created a more dramatic curve at the toe but I'm not sure. I didn't take a picture of it when new to compare it. This is the type of condition I believe it would be easy to create by a newby (me) at honing. It was inexpensive at under $45.