A Hollow Spine

[WW243]

I had a choice today of cleaning the fridge or shaving. Shaving it was. For the razor I chose a razor that has not received much love, a Herder. This razor was described by one of my mentors (who rescaled it) as something that a worker pocketed when he snatched it from the QC bin, in other words, it was never supposed to leave the factory. But it did.
So it has been languishing in a drawer and I decided to have at it. I think I have had it for some 3 years and have shaved with it once before. I looked at it and it looked like there was a smile and a slight hollow in the spine. Laid the Starrett on it and it indeed has both a slight smile, and a slightly hollow spine. So I check my other razors and find that most of them have a slightly hollow spine! A couple lay on the straight edge dead flat. I don't have a lot of razors. But this still surprised me, and I did an Advanced Search, but could not come up with much on the topic.
Is a slightly hollow spine the norm for vintage blades? Is there a reason why some spines are dead flat and others hollowed? Anyway, it was fun making a new 'discovery' right under my nose.

[Utopian]

I'm not certain of the description. Do you mean that the width of the spine is thinner in the middle in comparison to the toe and heel ends?

[sharptonn]

What you mean, hollow spine? Show a pic?

[WW243]

Hollow spine: if you lay a straight edge across the top of the spine, opposite edge.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...straight_razor down aways

[WW243]

I'll get some pics up tomorrow. The hollow really varies from those that are instantly seen to the subtle hollows that a straight edge reveals. And I'm wondering if the slightly hollow spine is always reflected in the smiling edge? Thanks gents for weighing in...this thread does not seem to be catching fire.

[BobH]

Now that I think I know what you mean by a "hollow" spine, it would be my assumption that the blade edge should follow/mirror the form of the spine.

Bob

[WW243]

Now that I think I know what you mean by a "hollow" spine, it would be my assumption that the blade edge should follow/mirror the form of the spine.

Bob

I would not have chosen that word, hollow, it came from the wiki noted above. I would have said concave spine....

[WW243]

For the sake of a more rational sample, it would probably be better that members with more than 7 razors check some of their spines. With mine, 5 have some measure of hollow and 2 are dead flat. I err on the side of don't go up onto the shoulder/tang area...as generally the spines seem to ramp up there.

[jnats]

I'll get some pics up tomorrow. The hollow really varies from those that are instantly seen to the subtle hollows that a straight edge reveals. And I'm wondering if the slightly hollow spine is always reflected in the smiling edge? Thanks gents for weighing in...this thread does not seem to be catching fire.

A razor is supposed to follow the curvature of the spine. People that hone straight edges on hollow spine wade butchers or smiling edges on straight spines are mis-honing their razors. They are theirs to do with what they will, but my chisels are chisels and my slotted screwdrivers are screwdrivers.

Edit: I'll update when my son is 5 and my chisels and screwdrivers are lawn darts or shurikens.

[Utopian]

Hollow spine: if you lay a straight edge across the top of the spine, opposite edge.
The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Library down aways

I apologize for not seeing this before. I clicked on the link but guess I got bored and did not scroll down far enough to find the spine info. The "hollow spine" clear was shown there. I think I and a lib of other people here have been referring to that as a smiling spine.