Thread: First razor: western or japanese style?

I came to this site seeking information on natural japanese wetstones, my intent being to use them on woodworking tools. You gave me some great advice: thanks! Having lurked around a bit, I've now got the bug to try straight razor shaving.

But I there is one thing that, looking from the outside, gives me the heeby jeebies: that folding handle. I have this picture in my mind of fat fumble fingering my way into an early grave with the whole folding handle business. I'm sure much of this comes from a couple of both literally and figuratively traumatic childhood experiences with Case pocket knives. Now I carry only locking or fixed blades.

This got me looking at the nice, less threatening, fixed blade japanese razors. So I'll ask this question. As a complete noob, is there any argument for or against starting with a japanese razor? I've read here that western users have trouble adapting to the japanese blade. Is this sort of like the pull-saw versus push-saw thing where it doesn't matter how you start out, the switch is what's uncomfortable? Or does one have a steeper learning curve?

I've read about people having difficulty with the sharp corner on both Japanese and some western blades. Does this corner actually DO anything? Or is it like the sharp corner on handplane blades that many woodworkers simply round off?

Last question. I've got a fat fleshy face: are there special considerations not present with you young and squared jawed types?

Actually Western razors are far easier to use because kamisori are designed to be used on one side of the blade (though many use both sides). It can require some fast footed manipulations to get your entire face done with one because of this.

Having said that, you can get a better shave with one because the blade is optimized better than a Western type.

Starting with a Kamisori is kind of like learning to drive with a manual tranny. There is more to learn at the same time but people have done it for years. Same with the kamisori. There is more to learn but in the end it's just a razor.

The advice you were given by the bigspendur is right on the money. A western style Japanese straight razor are on a par with the
British made, German made and those made in Spain. A western style will be a huge assest in learning to straight shave. Good luck and let us know your choice and how things go for you.

Some thoughts

When starting either style is difficult to learn, I think the we here consider the Western style easier because just about everyone of us started that way..
We then had to re-learn and adjust to the Kamisori, I have always thought which ever you start with will be what you are most comfortable with

I have found no difference in the difficulty when stropping ONCE you learn

I personally feel that initial honing on the Kamisori is slightly more difficult to learn, but further maintenance of the edge is much easier JMHO

Shaving, again ONCE you learn I see no real difference in difficulty, again JMHO I feel that a proper Kamisori shave is one of the smoothest most comfortable shaves one can get,,, it is really hard to match with a Western edge...

If I knew what I know now back in 2007 when razors were dirt cheap all over the internet I would have bought 100 Kamisori style rather then 100 Western style


Again many would disagree and have valid arguments that support their opinions..


But either way either style will get you better shaves than any modern system, I think we all agree on that

Thanks gents. So...do people have trouble with the pivoty blade/handle? Or is that simply useless paranoia on my part?

I started with have only used the western style Str8. I find the "pivoty handle" otherwise known as the scales are actually very useful. It helps to anchor the razor in my hand. As has been said earlier once you learn a good technique then the scales are not an issue.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Some thoughts

When starting either style is difficult to learn, I think the we here consider the Western style easier because just about everyone of us started that way..
We then had to re-learn and adjust to the Kamisori, I have always thought which ever you start with will be what you are most comfortable with

I have found no difference in the difficulty when stropping ONCE you learn

I personally feel that initial honing on the Kamisori is slightly more difficult to learn, but further maintenance of the edge is much easier JMHO

Shaving, again ONCE you learn I see no real difference in difficulty, again JMHO I feel that a proper Kamisori shave is one of the smoothest most comfortable shaves one can get,,, it is really hard to match with a Western edge...

If I knew what I know now back in 2007 when razors were dirt cheap all over the internet I would have bought 100 Kamisori style rather then 100 Western style


Again many would disagree and have valid arguments that support their opinions..


But either way either style will get you better shaves than any modern system, I think we all agree on that

Har har, no you wouldn't. I sold Tosuke's before 2005 and my source in Japan cleaned out every store in Tokyo selling them and you couldn't even find 30 of them back then. They were selling in Japan for $75 bucks then.