Pedestrian with a Bit of Style

[ScoutHikerDad]

So I picked up this smiling Minnesota Chief off the Bay Tuesday night for just 16 bucks and change! (Didn't seem like anyone was paying much attention). I like my women and my razors with a lot of curves. You can probably tell me from the pics that it had some light tarnish, as well as some rust spots around the pivot, but the honewear seems light.
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Anyway, I went at it with Mother's and old rags (thanks to Brad/Undream's videos for the technique!), and saw a big improvement: the tarnish is gone, and the rust is under control! (I'm not ready for unpinning just yet, will just have to clean around the pivot with floss and a Q-tip)




By the way, is this a full or extra-hollow ground? I've never had a grind this thin before; it almost seems like tin-foil. I imagine between that and the smile it will need a light touch and some rolling x-strokes. Anyone ever own one of these before, or maybe know a little about it?

I'll hone it up tomorrow and let you know how it shaves. (Of course I'm honing on Father's Day! Aren't you? Any tips on honing my 1st American/full-hollow blade will be much appreciated!)

Happy Father's Day, Dads. Aaron

[Havachat45]

It's a lovely looking blade, Aaron.
I just love that shape - I just don't have any...
I'd look for gssixguns 'honing a smiling wedge' video on You tube and go from there.
It has helped me with the couple of smiling blades that I have honed.
Let us know how it shaves

Of course if you want to get rid of it..........

[ScoutHikerDad]

Thanks for the tip on the video, Havachat-As 3 of my 6 razors are now smiling blades, I've watched Glenn's video a few times. I do a lot of sharpie marking, a lot or "rockin' and rollin'" on the hones, but I'm not ready to try honing a wedge yet-soon, though.

One technique that is working for me on these smiling blades is to rest 3 or 4 fingers VERY lightly across the blade, evenly-spaced like a piano keyboard, just sort of applying very gently pressure as I do circles, focusing on the heel and toe as needed, evaluating frequently using TPT, strong light, and leg-hair (need a microscope!). This particular blade came sharp, but very ragged and micro-chipped edge. Still, as it is such a fine grind, it didn't take long on the Norton 4/8, then the Dragon's Tongue to get it popping hair. We'll see how it shaves tomorrow.

I'll ask again if anyone knows what this specific grind is, or knows anything at all about the Minnesota Chief? TIA-Aaron

[smalltank]

good luck with that smile..they always made me a bit nervous to use..unless it was a very small smile at that

[Wullie]

good luck with that smile..they always made me a bit nervous to use..unless it was a very small smile at that

I love the smiley blades myself. I get in more trouble with absolutely straight razors than I do with the happy faced ones.

It's just what ya get used to I think and as most of my old junk has smiles, I've learned to "run what I brung".

[ScoutHikerDad]

Small tank-spikes make more nervous than the smile (though my straight-edged blades seem much easier to hone by comparison).

And Wullie, besides their looks, I like the way they clean up in my neck hollows.

[Johnus]

You're right I was on and never saw it. Strange! Does seem like a great buy. Congratulation !

[lz6]

Nice find. You cannot really go wrong with $16. Take your time with the honing and she looks like a half hollow to me.

[ScoutHikerDad]

Thanks for the comments all-I just test-shaved with this Chief and my (much smoother and heavier-bladed) Frederick Reynolds Rattler I mentioned in another thread, just sort of switching back and forth. Nice BBS shave, though the Chief still feels a tad ragged/tuggy on the edge, so probably needs more fine tuning. That extra-hollow/almost singing grind also takes some getting used to.

As I'm out on summer break, I'm currently watching a bunch of others on Ebay. This is getting addicting-I may need an intervention!