Lopsided Smile :D

[weizemanner]

I have this really old Joseph smith and sons celebrated razor 3145.

It is a really large wedge and I don't know if it is part of the design or if a previous owner didn't know how to hone, but it has a really lopsided smile that doesn't really match the spine.

It is a PITA to hone and strop, I'm just looking for some advice, any tips to sharpening a blade of this shape easier, should I just breadknife off a good bit of steel and have a thinner wedge?

 

[Doc226]

I would not breadknife it, that could be honed with a rolling x-stroke. Yes wedges are a PITA to hone, stropping should be OK.

 

[Mike H]

Nooo, do not bread knife it, that is a gorgeous blade. It has a typical wedge smile, and yes, they are a pain to hone, mostly because it is a wedge, the smile is not usually an issue, You need to use a rolling X to get it done.

 

[mycarver]

Yup to what they said. I have several in that style and they all look like that. Personally, I love 'em.

 

[Wid]

Have to agree with all above, leave it as is.

 

[Rekonball]

All of my wedges look like that also.

 

[mdunn]

It's fine. Rolling x and you're all good.

If you bread knife it, I'm coming to your house to bread knife you

 

[Slash McCoy]

That razor was made with a smile and was meant to have one. Plus it is a really big smile and you would give up a lot of steel to make it straight. Not everyone likes smileys. I don't. But there are others who love them, so if you don't like big smiling wedges, consider selling or trading.

Depending on how much tape you use and how far you go into your progression before taping, vs how it was last honed, you might gitter done in 15 minutes or you might be rubbing for a couple of hours. I think the most common mistake with the rolling x treatment is rolling up too high at heel and toe, especially toe. That accelerates wear at those ends and over time increases edge curvature. The good news is it will still get sharp. Nevertheless rolling x honing can take a while to develop as a skill and you may find yourself having to back up a step and do it again. It is more art than science.

Thats a fine old razor and I wish you luck with it.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

You might want to try honing on a skinny coticule. I have a great one that is about 1 inch wide - it's a dream to hone on and would be ideal for this type of razor - you'll be able to handle the smile more easily than on a wider stone.
Oh, btw this isn't an offer, it isn't for sale - it's my gitter done hone. When all else fails I roll out the thin jim.

 

[tomjr]

looks like a very nice smile to me leave it as is except 4 honing on a narrow stone or rolling stroke as stated previously.

 

[MileMarker60]

Great looking razor.
As others have said, that's the original shape.
Though I disagree with some... I don't consider old wedges a pita to hone. You just got to have a little different mind set when our honing them.
What stones are you using to hone the razor?

 

[weizemanner]

Great looking razor.
As others have said, that's the original shape.
Though I disagree with some... I don't consider old wedges a pita to hone. You just got to have a little different mind set when our honing them.
What stones are you using to hone the razor?

My current progression is a dmt600 to set the bevel, a dmt1200 to smooth out chips and a dmt8000 (more like 4-6000). Then I strop with MAAS (12000 or so i believe) and then CrOx (30,000 or so) then plain leather for 50-100 strokes.

I'm getting pretty good at the rolling x I think. I have a few razors that require this, but I was honing a straight ------------ one the other day and I realized that on a straight blade the whole blade is touching all the way down the hone ~6 inches. on this thing i'm rolling it so each piece of the edge is on the hone maybe half an inch or less. It could be 20 strokes on this guy to equal 1 stroke on a flat blade.

Maybe I'm just not honing long enough? i'ts "shave the cheeks" sharp but useless on the neck...

I think I would have less trouble on some "real" hones but I'm on a really tight budget. like Walmart Williams Wilkinson. The 3W budget.

 

[MileMarker60]

Got you, I was hoping that maybe you used some syn. stones. If so, I was going to tell you to turn it on it's side
Ideally a narrower stone works well with smiling blades.
Yours is a little more then just a smiler. It looks like the blade is tapered as well, which gives even more of a smile.
I'm going to assume you are placing the razor 90° to the hone.
Get out a sharpie and mark your edge.
Then instead of placing the razor at a 90 (if you are) use more of a 45° angle. Its kind of hard to explain... but do your rolling x with a 45° to start and pull through to more of a 90 at the end. Check the edge and see where your hitting the edge (marker removed) and where your not hitting (marker still there).