Thread: Smiling Blades

I have seen plenty of smilers for sale here and on other sites like the bay but they have all been vintage (I have 2).

Were/are smilers made deliberately or accidentally by honing?

I haven't actually seen brand new purposely manufactured smilers (except for custom jobs) but maybe I am just looking in the wrong places

As an aside, I have read that a lot of people like them. I think I actually prefer straight blades. Every time I use a smiler I seem to end up with red scratches on the side if my neck. No blood but scratched enough so the marks last a couple of days.

Steve

As far as vintage smilers go, I think that you can mostly look at the spine to see if it was purposely made to smile. If the spine smiles the grind probably always smiled.

I have no proof, but I posit that the move away from smiling razors coincides with the adoption of the double wheel grinders being used to mass produce full hollow razors. The double wheel grinders do not lend themselves to producing smiling blades.

Originally Posted by bluesman7

As far as vintage smilers go, I think that you can mostly look at the spine to see if it was purposely made to smile. If the spine smiles the grind probably always smiled.

I have no proof, but I posit that the move away from smiling razors coincides with the adoption of the double wheel grinders being used to mass produce full hollow razors. The double wheel grinders do not lend themselves to producing smiling blades.

I just looked at your website. Some gorgeous razors, I need to start doing the lottery so I can win it and buy more razors

Steve

Doubt the style of grind, smiling or straight has anything to do with cutting yourself. If anything, a smiler would be less likely to cut you, as it is an automatic scything cut of the beard.

It is either shaving technique or more likely a chipped or rolled edge. It can take a bit of technique to properly strop a smiling razor, depending on the amount of “smile.

Yup, easier/faster/cheaper to grind a straight edge

I forgot to mention that when razors were being hand forged, a smile is a much more natural shape to forge.

Shave the lather, not the face... Probably techniques.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Doubt the style of grind, smiling or straight has anything to do with cutting yourself. If anything, a smiler would be less likely to cut you, as it is an automatic scything cut of the beard.

It is either shaving technique or more likely a chipped or rolled edge. It can take a bit of technique to properly strop a smiling razor, depending on the amount of “smile.

Yup, easier/faster/cheaper to grind a straight edge

You're right of course. I used one again an hour ago, mostly because I wanted an excuse to try out my new Rocky Mountain after shave balm and beard oil

Anyway, I used it again and concentrated on how I was shaving.

It seems I tend to use the toe end most of the time because I can put it where I want it without the rest of the blade being in the way which seems to be the case if I use the centre.

I probably do the same with a straight blade to so I guess I better watch that.

So because I use the toe to shave I scratch myself, simple and pretty stupid really.

Incidentally, I got a jewellers loupe today ( 30x 60 x) and used it on all my blades to try it out. I don't think any of them are rolled but the edges are huge! Or that could be the loupe

Steve

Originally Posted by outback

Shave the lather, not the face... Probably techniques.

Hi Mike, you're right. It is my technique.

I think I have it figured out now.

Steve

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Doubt the style of grind, smiling or straight has anything to do with cutting yourself. If anything, a smiler would be less likely to cut you, as it is an automatic scything cut of the beard.

It is either shaving technique or more likely a chipped or rolled edge. It can take a bit of technique to properly strop a smiling razor, depending on the amount of “smile.

Yup, easier/faster/cheaper to grind a straight edge

Is stropping a smiler different than a straight blade?

IMO, as long as you are stropping with a sideways motion (x) and not straight up and down it will be fine.