Shaving with and honing a tosuke.

I was able to hone my tosuke to the point where I was able to get bbs in 3 passes tonight! The shave was very good, but I know it can get better. I cannot get the razor to pass the hanging hair test at all. I feel that honing with the equipment I have, the razor is as sharp as I will be able to get it. I use a Chinese 12k and an unidentified super smooth barber hone. I have an old antique paddle strop that works ok, but I have just ordered a pasted honey brown/latigo strop from Tony Miller. Will stropping the razor with a pasted strop make that much of a difference? If I use progressively less pressure while honing will the razor get sharper? How about using a slurry stone or nagura?

The question I would ask is; are you honing asymetrically or as if it were a western style razor? When I honed my Tosuke I used a 12K Kitayama and it honed up perfectly. I found the iwasaki with much harder steel responded better to diamond pasted strops. Are you honing the Japanese way with back and forth honing or western style. The trick will be in the amount of pressure you use while honing. Too much is a negative and too little is a negative. Start with moderate and ease up towards the end. The pressure thing is really where the skill comes in. If you are using the 12K I would definitely use the nagura.

I have honed a few of these and would not recommend any attempt at changing the pressure. Actually I do not vary the pressure when honing any razor. Don't worry about a hanging hair test and the proof of the sharpness will be in the shave. I have stayed with the escher and a little paste on these and all have worked out fine. Now........because of the shape and size, I have found that I really am not a fan of them except as a novelty and have put mine to bed in the display cabinet.

Have fun.

Lynn

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

...Actually I do not vary the pressure when honing any razor.
Lynn

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No way, Lynn! Really?

I am sure that there are both new, NOS, and plain old ebay specials that you get with need to reset the bevel, take out microchips, etc - are you saying that every one (regardless of steel, etc.) gets the same pressure? Or that you do not apply more pressure in the beginning of the honing process than in the final polishing stages on each razor?

Wow, if I tried not to vary the pressure I would probably spend hours and who knows if I'd be able to hone a razor at all. But of course, I don't have your experience :)

Cheers
Ivo

There is a question I've had about the Tosuke's for some time. In your experience (your = anyone owning one), is it any easier shaving under the chin/adam's apple area with these compared to western straight razors?

The reason I ask: I have to do an east-west pass ATG in that area to get BBS. The only way I can do this with a straight is to open it up so blade and scales are in line. The Tosuke is similar in that it's a straight line from handle to blade. So I was wondering... :thinking:

In general if you are using it the way its supposed to be used meaning the concave side towards your skin at all times it is more challenging to use. I find I can almost never get BBS on my neck because I simply can't go E-W across my neck with a western razor and angles don't work either but with the Tosuke I can go E-W because its a shorter blade and much more maneuverable and I do get BBS on my neck with it and the Iwasaki all the time.

I think japanese razors require a radically different honing method than western razors and while using western methods might get them sharp I wonder if the edge is being modified of course if you use the razor on both sides it won't matter but to do it correctly you do need considerable pressure when you hone.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

...but with the Tosuke I can go E-W because its a shorter blade and much more maneuverable and I do get BBS on my neck with it and the Iwasaki all the time.

I think japanese razors require a radically different honing method than western razors and while using western methods might get them sharp I wonder if the edge is being modified of course if you use the razor on both sides it won't matter but to do it correctly you do need considerable pressure when you hone.

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Thanks. This is pretty much exactly what I wanted to know. Interesting. I may one day look for one to try. The shaving sounds about right, but the honing might put me off (what with not being a consistently successful honer with western razors!).

The instructions on the Internet for honing a Japanese straight all seem to indicate using a lot of pressure. It's definitely unconventional by our standards, but since the Japanese invented these razors, I'd assume they also know the best way to hone them. :shrug:

It is hard getting much out of their documentation, though, since translator software makes a hash out of the text.

The two things I'm able to get consistently are the 2/3 ratio for honing and the use of pressure--and even two hands on the razor while honing.

Josh

When stropping the tosuke do you keep it perfectly flat on the strop just like when you are honing it? Or is it ok to tilt the angle up slightly so that the spine does not run across the strop?

strop it like a normal razor ie spine on the strop.

i have also seen one documentation that instructed to use less pressure near the end of honing.

for me, using the japanese razor simplifies some movements and makes others more challenging. it's fun and i get one hella good shave in those areas that are easier

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Originally Posted by izlat

No way, Lynn! Really?

I am sure that there are both new, NOS, and plain old ebay specials that you get with need to reset the bevel, take out microchips, etc - are you saying that every one (regardless of steel, etc.) gets the same pressure? Or that you do not apply more pressure in the beginning of the honing process than in the final polishing stages on each razor?

Wow, if I tried not to vary the pressure I would probably spend hours and who knows if I'd be able to hone a razor at all. But of course, I don't have your experience :)

Cheers
Ivo

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That's exactly what I mean. I use the same pressure throughout the process when I hone. Always have. Of course I may not have the experience alot of you guys do and probably haven't honed as many of these as Josh Earl, so I'll certainly bow to your expertise. What ever works for you guys.

Lynn

but to do it correctly you do need considerable pressure when you hone.[/quote]

As I said, I will bow to your expertise. I hope to get there some day. I have not needed any extra pressure with these.

Lynn

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

That's exactly what I mean. I use the same pressure throughout the process when I hone. Always have. Of course I may not have the experience alot of you guys do and probably haven't honed as many of these as Josh Earl, so I'll certainly bow to your expertise. What ever works for you guys.

Lynn

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This is an old thread but I was digging the archives because I got a Tosuke to hone and just saw this - thanks for the laugh, Lynn ;)

I must say I plan to start with less pressure myself because it's a first for me and I'd rather spend more time and be safe than sorry. But I'll still use even lighter pressure to finish on the 40K

Cheers
Ivo