Thread: Honing a Smiling Blade (intentional curve not a warp)

I have a Clauss I bought off eBay. The blade has a curve. The curve is intentional. Smile (??) I have searched the old threads about honing a smiling blade, and I am confused. The threads I read refer to the rolling x stroke, and it seems like this is intended for a blade that does not lie (or lay -- I never remember) flat on the hone, since the spine is warped. That is not my case. This Clauss will lay falt on the hone, but the blade is curved like a 'smile'. From searching old threads, it seems like the term 'smile' refers to both situations.

I am attaching a picture of the blade -- I hope it shows what I mean. (Sorry for the poor quality photo; I only have a camera phone.)

Anyway, I am able to get the heel sharp, but not the center and toe. Is there any tip/trick to honing a blade like this?

Thanks

Kyle

You will have to maneuver the blade as you go through the stroke, from a position where the heel touches, to a position where the center touches to a position where the toe touches. you will be lifting up some portion of the edge so that the other portions touch the honing surface as you make each pass in a smooth sweeping motion.

If you can find a thinner hone, like 1 inch wide or so, this will be easier than with a wider honing surface, but it will work both ways.

If the spine is not warped and the edge and spine are lying flat on the hone, the edge should be sharpening evenly.

Lay the blade flat on a piece of glass and look if there are gaps. If there are, ink the spine with a pen/marker, hone and look to see were the problem is on the spine.

Then if you are feeling brave, using a 1200 grit hone or wet and dry sandpaper on glass, hone the razor until the spine becomes even (ie ALL the ink disappears off the spine). Repeat the inking/honing process until you are satisfied. Then move on to a 4000 and then 8000 grit hone to get back to sharp. If everything is flat, the blade should hone evenly.

If it's really badly warped, you may have to put it in the bin and put it down to experience.

Hope this helps.

Similar problem here, I am afraid the clean up of my blade has thinned the toe area a bit.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

You will have to maneuver the blade as you go through the stroke, from a position where the heel touches, to a position where the center touches to a position where the toe touches. you will be lifting up some portion of the edge so that the other portions touch the honing surface as you make each pass in a smooth sweeping motion.

If you can find a thinner hone, like 1 inch wide or so, this will be easier than with a wider honing surface, but it will work both ways.

+1 on that.
In order to get it right, I pay very close attention to what the water (or slurry) does during the stroke. It should run up the edge instead of underneath it. When honing a smiling blade, I can clearly see the water running up the heel first, then up the middle and finally up the toe, as I progress through the entire X-stroke. The hand movement has to follow the smile, but that happens automatically if you pay attention to the point of contact with the hone. It's easier to see during the stroke that drags the edge in your direction than when the edge moves away from you, but when you get it going for the "back-stroke" it's not too difficult to copy the motion to the "forth-stroke" with less eyesight on what the water does.

Honing a smile just takes a bit more practice than honing a straight blade. But I love the shaves those blades provide. There's a area on my neck (above the jugular vein) where I can't get it BB-smooth without a smiling blade.

Hope this helps,

Bart.

I agree with English, and therefore gently disagree with the others.

However, I do disagree with English as well regarding warped blades. They can be honed up just fine on narrow hones, which are all I use. They work better because only a small region of the blade makes contact with the hone so warps on other parts of the blade have no affect on that contact.

I guess I'm just disagreeable.

There is an advanced section in my honing video where I go over the technique for honing smiling razors on narrow and wide hones. Hopefully it will be ready to be posted next week.

The main thing with smiling blades is to utilize a 45 degree angle with your stroke on the stone in lieu of a 90 degree angle. This technique works well for wedges too. Use what ever method works the best for you but remember the 45 dgrees through out your strokes and you should be fine. I am not much of a sandpaper fan. This edge from the little blurred picture doesn't look too bad. I would try a 5-5, 3-3, 1-3, 1-5 rotation on the Norton 4K/8K or what ever you have that may be similar and finish up with a polishing stone if you have one or some .5 diamond or chromium oxide paste.

Have fun,

Lynn

Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

There is an advanced section in my honing video where I go over the technique for honing smiling razors on narrow and wide hones. Hopefully it will be ready to be posted next week.

Can't wait too see your video. I'm always intrigued as to how other people hone. As everyone has their own individual style/method/preferences, the more I see, the more I learn.

45 degrees leading or trailing?

The sway backs with the smiles that are hollow or semi-hollow seem to work out pretty naturally.

The straight backs with a smile are a little tougher and I really haven't had great successes yet.