New Dovo--smiling blade question

[AllenG]

First post.

About 6 months ago I bought my first straight razor, a Hart Steel. I love it and as is with all things I like I have succumb to N+1 syndrome and bought a couple of Dovos from Straight Razor Designs.

One of the Dovos is a smiling blade. My question is how much smile should one find acceptable on a new blade?

My two Dovos side by side.

My stainless Dovo which is straight edge flat.

The one which has a smile.
The images were shot on one of my freshly flattened honing stones.

Is that amount of smile something I should accept from a hundred and fifty dollar blade?
If it is trivial and I'll never notice it I have no problem keeping it. If not, I'm going to return it.

Many thanks,

--Allen

 

[whiskerwacker]

I love my smiling blades, some are made that way, and some get that way by honing a certain way. If somehow your Dovo isn't to your liking, by all means see if it can be returned, but smiles are prized by many straight shavers, and who knows, maybe you'll fall for them too!!!

 

[AllenG]

I love my smiling blades, some are made that way, and some get that way by honing a certain way. If somehow your Dovo isn't to your liking, by all means see if it can be returned, but smiles are prized by many straight shavers, and who knows, maybe you'll fall for them too!!!

Excellent. Thank you very much. I'm too new to straight razors to know that I fell into a good thing.
In the rotation it goes.
I just wanted to make sure before I used it in case it needed returning.

Again, thank you for the wisdom.

 

[Wid]

There's nothing wrong with the "smiling" blade. I've had a few Dovos with the same blade geometry.

 

[dakotaev]

As mentioned above, a smiling blade is acceptable and most likely was intended. A frown or other issues would be of more concern.

 

[Doc226]

That is perfectly normal. Very nice blades.

 

[AllenG]

Thank you, Gentlemen.

 

[cb91710]

+1

A smiling blade is a happy shave.
Honing is not quite as straightforward as it requires a rolling x-stroke, but the shave is awesome.

Buy an $8 Gold Dollar, breadknife a smile into it, and practice honing it before honing the Dovo.

 

[AllenG]

+1

A smiling blade is a happy shave.
Honing is not quite as straightforward as it requires a rolling x-stroke, but the shave is awesome.

Buy an $8 Gold Dollar, breadknife a smile into it, and practice honing it before honing the Dovo.

Good advice. Will do.

 

[paco664]

a smile is a wonderful thing...

a frown is not....

 

[Doc226]

a smile is a wonderful thing...

a frown is not....

True both in life and in razors

 

[Slash McCoy]

Depending on your honing technique, over time the smile may straighten out. Or, it may get "happier". Anyway, it is not a defect, but a design detail. As you can see, many shavers prefer a smiley. I don't, but that's just me.

 

[AllenG]

The shave this morning was a bit rough. I'm going to break out the hones and put my own edge on it this evening.

 

[Wid]

IMO Dovo razors don't come shave ready.

 

[smalltank]

my new razor has a slight smile at the heel..hone it on the stone with heel forward

 

[Wid]

No need to use a heel forward stroke nor a rolling x stroke on that new blade. Use regular x strokes.

 

[Easttexasman]

The problem with getting a razor with a smile is that you will want more and more of them.

 

[global_dev]

IMO Dovo razors don't come shave ready.

Wouldn't all SRD razors come shave ready?

 

[Wid]

Wouldn't all SRD razors come shave ready?

Well I guess they should Jon, missed that part.

 

[life2short1971]

I actually prefer smiling blades myself.They get around the neck and jaw better.