Some Japanese razors

Hello all,

This is my first post here and as an intro these are a few razors I have made. The cane wrapped ones are W1 tool steel forge welded to pure iron backing. The other is Hitachi blue steel laminated to iron with an ebony handle. Thanks for looking.

Wow, you make your entrance to SRP with a bang!

Very nice razors!!!

Impressive! Thanks for sharing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kanemitsu

...forge welded to pure iron backing...

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Do you mean wrought iron? If not, what is the benefit of using pure iron (is pure iron possible?), just curious.

Nice blades, though, I've been wanting to get a hold of some white and blue steel for a while now, no luck yet. Where did you get yours?

Hello Kanemitsu - Irasshaimase !!

Is that a left handed razor on the far right ? Was wondering if they exist. :nj

Yep they exist, I have a photo of at least one.

Solves the one handed shaving thing ! ;)

Welcome to SRP - great looking razors you've got!!!!!!!!!!

WOW! I just love the look of your razors! :tu
BUT how do they shave??? :confused:

I used pure iron on those not old wrought iron, pure in that it is 99.8 percent pure iron. check out Pure Iron -- The Choice For Forging and Ornamental Metal Fabrications
for their description of the metal. The Hitachi steel I got in Japan while vuisiting the shops of bladesmiths.

Yes that is a left hand razor.

They shave as well as my Wade and Butcher, but different. After getting use to the right hand bevel, I really have not
used a left hand one although I thought it would come in handy at first.

Thanks for the comments.

Well done! It is a real treat to see those razors.:tu

I understand the function of soft and hard steel for Japanese weapons but why for smaller items like razors ?
Is it just traditional ?

Do you mean: why the soft handle?
the reason is simple. Good blade steel costs a lot of money. soft iron doesn't.
So what you see a lot is that the blade itself will be made from high quality steel, and the body will be made from soft and cheap iron.

This way the smith can strech his stock of quality steel.
I was told most blacksmiths had an old anchor from which they took pieces of iron for this purpose.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

Do you mean: why the soft handle?
the reason is simple. Good blade steel costs a lot of money. soft iron doesn't.
So what you see a lot is that the blade itself will be made from high quality steel, and the body will be made from soft and cheap iron.

This way the smith can strech his stock of quality steel.
I was told most blacksmiths had an old anchor from which they took pieces of iron for this purpose.

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Thanx Bruno.
Makes good economic sense as well as efficient use of resources especially if a smith was to use his valued Tamahagane.