Thread: Is this a "smiling" blade? does it look right?

Hi Guys,

I'm restoring a bunch of blades, and this one always sticks out because of the 'smile' on it. It is by far the most curved edge I've ever owned and I guess I'm just used to the edge being pretty straight.

My simple question: Is this blade made like this? is this a smiling blade? This blade has never been honed, that much is apparent in real life, since there is practically no hone-wear on the spine. I just can't decide if the edge is supposed to look like this or if somehow it's been altered. Please any input will be greatly appreciated.

Sorry if this is a really a dumb question - its just bugging me.. You know when you look at something too much...

I know nothing but that looks like a very slight smile. Doesn't look to me like it was made exactly like that (though it might have had a smile), but you'll get real answers from the guys that really know this stuff. Looks like it's got some personality.

It's hard to tell from the picture, but it does look like the spine has a slight curve to it, indicating it is a smiley.

I have one blade that is MUCH more pronounced smile than that, at the spine as well.

It's not only blades with curved spines that naturally have smiles, and smiles don't always match the curves of the spines.

A lot of older English blades are thicker near the toe and narrower near the heal. Those blades to technically have smiles, though not uniform, and the spines are not always curved. There are also a lot of blades that have uniform smiles and straight spines.

The one you posted seems to have even hone wear, so that is probably the original shape of the blade.

Edit with more thoughts: Had the blade been altered in some way and has even hone wear, it would have either an uneven grind (i.e. sanding part of the blade to reduce the width would yield a thinner section on the razor) or the razor would be thicker if you look edge on (if part of the blade is cut off, you won't have an edge, but a thick, dull section). I've seen one blade where I thought part of the bevel was literally cut off, but never one that was sanded down from the sides.

Here is one that was made with a significant smile . You might even call it a big grin. In the barbering textbook treatise on honing in the SRP help files it shows that a blade should have a smile. You can access it here.

That is a gorgeously weird looking shaver! It is certainly a great exemplar of a smiling blade.

Originally Posted by Utopian

That is a gorgeously weird looking shaver! It is certainly a great exemplar of a smiling blade.

Definitely had to use the 'rolling x' on that one. It is a Case Bros Springville, NY and is a great shaver ...... but carefully.

Hey Mike,

Here's a blade with a slight smile to it... recognize it? The smile is one of the reasons that I wanted this blade.

Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

Here is one that was made with a significant smile . You might even call it a big grin...

I know someone who would have a big grin on his face, too, if he had that razor...
That is a great looking razor Jimmy!

Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

Here is one that was made with a significant smile . You might even call it a big grin. In the barbering textbook treatise on honing in the SRP help files it shows that a blade should have a smile. You can access it here.

I was watching one of those on Ebay recently. Went for a few hundred...

Originally Posted by The Blacksmith

Hey Mike,

Here's a blade with a slight smile to it... recognize it? The smile is one of the reasons that I wanted this blade.

I could be wrong, but I don't think that blade originally had a smile. That looks to me like the result of hone wear.