Smiles

Sando · Post by **Sando** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:02 am

Do you gents have a preference for a blade with a smile? I'm using an ERN 1166, which has a straight edge and round point. My technique is improving, I'm starting to get a decent shave. But I have a sense that a blade with a modest curved edge may speed up the learning curve. Anybody find this to be the case?

...Ray

matt321 · Post by **matt321** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:27 am

In three years I have yet to feel a difference. It's said that a smile can reach down into hollows below the jaw.

Also, while a smile may complicate honing a bit, it lessons the chance of a concave warp.

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:08 pm

I can't see an advantage to a smiling razor, nor do I enjoy honing them.

Chris

SiR-ed8 · Post by **SiR-ed8** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:32 pm

Ray,

I have one with sway back and smiling edge. Surprisingly, I didn't have a difficult time. I honed it doing 45 degree angle. Some employ a rolling-X pattern but I'm not at all comfortable with the idea. I actually had a hell of a time with spike point that had uneven spine wear warped toe with different bevels. Really needed a lot of work but eventually fixed it.

As far as shaving with smiling SR I don't see any advantage other than its aesthetic qualities.

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 3:04 pm

A blade with a substantial convex curve slices meat more smoothly and effectively than a straight edge.

Watch out.

Dave_D · Post by **Dave_D** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:10 pm

Better a smile than a frown, but Ive found the regular straight edges to work best from both a honing and shaving reference overall.

Sando · Post by **Sando** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:48 pm

matt321 wrote:It's said that a smile can reach down into hollows below the jaw.

I can see that but I was thinking more along the lines of a leading edge meeting the stubble at smaller area rather than the entire blade. I find shaving on a diagonal with a de to be more efficient.

I didn't consider honing but I'll be using the services of honemeisters for the foreseeable future.

As for slicing meat...well, my current setup is just perfect for that.

...Ray

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:12 pm

You can angle your straight-razor stroke (leading with one corner or the other) in the same fashion as you do the DE, though perhaps not to the same extent due to lack of room.

I think choosing a smiling razor would just make your shave less predictable. And having a tricky-to-hone razor would not endear you to whoever gets to do the work. (Not that they would hate your razor, just that they wouldn't especially like it either.)

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:26 pm

I like smiles because I know even I can't turn one into a frown without a lot of work.

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:33 pm

Question... I think I get the jist, but what exactly is a smiling straight?

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:42 pm

Blue As A Jewel wrote:Question... I think I get the jist, but what exactly is a smiling straight?

It has an edge (and corresponding spine) that curve away from the shaver's face at both ends, so that when you hold it in front of you with the spine upwards, it looks like (guess what).

SiR-ed8 · Post by **SiR-ed8** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:59 pm

Blue As A Jewel wrote:Question... I think I get the jist, but what exactly is a smiling straight?

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:01 pm

Got it! Thanks!

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 4:28 pm

SiR-ed8 wrote:
Blue As A Jewel wrote:Question... I think I get the jist, but what exactly is a smiling straight?

That's not a smile; that razor plainly never got the joke. Here's one that feels more humorous:

The infamous Big Daddy.

Chris

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:00 am

This is a smiling swayback. Just won it on the bay - no idea if it's in shape to shave with but should be fun. I have a mint engstrom swayback and it's a lot of fun.[/img][/url]

Sando · Post by **Sando** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:30 pm

drmoss_ca wrote:
The infamous Big Daddy.

Chris

Wow, that's a beaut Chris! I see so many choppers with smiles - is that due to honing over the years? by design?

...Ray

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:20 am

the smiling razors were made that way. the frowning razors arise from years of honing if they aren't honed right. I think with x strokes the tendency if you make an error is to create a frown, and it's suggested that you do extra quick strokes on the point and heel to avoid a frown (not to create a smile).

Post by **ichabod** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:08 am

So frown avoidance tricks might include using a wider hone (the width of the blade) and not using an x stroke, or does that create other issues?

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:45 am

ichabod wrote:So frown avoidance tricks might include using a wider hone (the width of the blade) and not using an x stroke, or does that create other issues?

wider hone, so whole blade is in contact whole time, definitely is a tactic for frown avoidance (whether you do x stroke or not). except with smiling blades, which you have to do rolling x stroke on anyway.

other tactic, which someone here taught me is 10 quick professional strokes on each end to offset the middle bias.

I think the x stroke has other tooth formation benefits than honing the blade evenly on a narrow hone, but that is the main one.

But I think your favorite razor is an old W&B chopper, you're probably looking at some rolling x action anyway.

I think the main frown avoidance tactic is being careful abuot even pressure and doing the x in a way that as close as possible gives the same time to the ends of the blade as the middle.