Hey! Got my firstJapanese Kamisori info appreciated!

Hey ladies and gentlemen!
Glad to be a new part of this group.

I own an 'old' Japanese kamisori straight razor

I would like more information on this kamisori.

Who made it, what steel it is, what age it has, what quality it has, just anything would be helpful!

So far my research has brought me to this;

It's stamped with 金剛 and Eureka (Yurika?)
Meaning 'kongou' / こんごう

[金剛](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/金剛#Japanese*)

**Meanings**: "vajra (indestructible substance), diamond, adamantine."
Eureka https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(word)

It's transliterated to Japanese as e-u-re-ka, yu-u-re-ka, or yu-ri-i-k-a

The right one is 金剛 kongou, same as on your razor, and the third from right is ユリカ yurika, both have AZUMA on the handles which may be the company's name. I'm not sure about the relation between the brand names, but yurika is a bit similar to Eureka


I also found that the first diamond found in South Africa is called ''Eureka Diamond'', and a diamond's Japanese name is 金剛 (but usually we call it ''daiamondo'', the transliteration from English), but I don't know if they are related with each other.

https://imgtr.ee/images/2023/11/08/d...4324c2dcb.jpeg
https://imgtr.ee/images/2023/11/08/a...a10a9d96c.jpeg
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https://imgtr.ee/images/2023/11/08/9...5a2a7b332.jpeg
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New links to photo's
https://ibb.co/6m84YS0
https://ibb.co/sKXnBMq
https://ibb.co/x1vMH9L
https://ibb.co/N3kTqVR
https://ibb.co/H7wp2Mx
https://ibb.co/5FnNyKt

Hi! Welcome to SRP.

I've not seen the maker before but it's probably made from Yazuki steel. There appears to be rust near the edge.
Attachment 350196

No, there is absolutely no rust on the edges.

All that black stuff is deep rust.

I've got it sharpenned to BESS 90 at an angle 18 degrees.
Fully polished

I've got it sharpenned to BESS 90 at an angle 18 degrees.
Fully polished
https://youtu.be/TRlk2fe29uw?feature=shared
https://youtube.com/shorts/nJA0lMUv2DY?feature=shared

Looks great after a good clean / polish. How are the shaves? Is the edge holding up OK?

To be honest, it's really difficult dangerously sharp. Without decent technique you will easily bleed. Edge is holding up fine. Requires a calm hand and mind. Not something to do rushed.

18° ???

I am trying to figure out what you mean by this,, an Included angle of 18° on a Western grind would be acceptable a touch high but acceptable.. On a Kamisori how are you figuring the angle ??

I got 20.1º on a retired one.

One of my Deba came in at 22º.

Attachment 350642

I had a professional resharpen this blade. (Also sells high end Japanese kitchen cutlery). He told me it was 18 degrees angle. I'm not knowledgeable enough to know how he measured it. But he told me it was an unique piece with definitely some rich history. He also measured everything else too. He tried to buy it from me, but I declined.