Thread: Sharpening Wakamisori

Originally Posted by JimR

Kevin, I found this same information totally independently from your post...here's the link from Ehamono. I made my own translation--I would be happy to post it, but I wouldn't say it's significantly different from yours. I also found this guide (scroll down), from another knife shop. This one seems a bit more detailed, and it includes information on ratios and pressure. I'm almost finished with my translation of it.

Just thought I'd add my two cents...

That's awesome Jim. I'd love to see what you come up with for both

Ok folks, here's my translation of the razor honing guide from •ï’š�EƒiƒCƒt‚Ì’Ê”Ì�ue�n•¨.com�vƒAƒJƒVƒLƒRƒE�`ƒlƒbƒ g‚Ì�n•¨‰®‚³‚ñ�š•ï’š�EƒiƒCƒt‚Ì‚±‚ƂȂ炨‚Ü‚©‚¹�I. This is NOT my original work, and I have not been able to get written permission for this, so please don't use this for your own nefarious purposes. I'll try to get my translation of the other guide (which claims it's from Ryouchi) up soon. Hope it helps!

方 市原さん直伝のカミソリ研ぎ（下の写真は、市原さんの手です(^^)）
Initiation into sharpening by Ichihara-san (Those are his hands in the pictures below)
砥石を5～10分ほど水に浸け、十分水を含ませます。
Submerge your stone for 5-10 minutes, until it is well soaked.
研ぐとき、砥石に水を付ける際、少し石けんを混ぜると、すべりが良くなり、滑らかに研げます。
When honing, as you add water to your hone, mixing a little soap in the water will improve the slip and make your honing smoother.

剃刀の裏、先端から5mmぐらいのところをしっかり押さえ、砥石にベタッと当てます。
Place the back (ura) of the razor flat on the stone and press firmly at a point about 5mm from the cutting edge.




そのまま、一定の角度を保って砥石の全体を使うように、スライド。
Maintaining a fixed angle, and making sure to use the whole surface of the hone, slide the razor keeping pressure on the blade.


鎬部分を研ぎすぎないよう、刃先に力を入れて、指と一緒に研ぐ感じで研いで下さい。
To avoid excessive wear on the ridges of the blade, keep pressure focused toward the edge,almost as if you're honing your fingers with the blade.


しのぎの部分と、刃先の部分が砥石にピタッと当たるようにし、※刃先部分に力をかけるようにし て研ぎます。
Use pressure to make sure the blade ridges and the blade edge stay firmly against the hone.


表が研げれば、今度は裏面をベタッと当てて軽く研ぎます。
表７：裏３以下ぐらいで裏を研ぎます。
For the front (omote), this time hold the backside lightly and hone. Do not exceed a ratio of omote 7: ura 3 when honing the ura.

最後、手のひらやジーンズなどで軽くなでるようにして小刃（かえり）を取ります。
Finally, lightly run the razor on your open palm or your jeans to remove the burr or wire edge.

Fascinating! Can you get these razors as sharp as a Western razor? As sharp, say, as the sharpest TI or Dovo in your rotation?

Thanks for the translation!

Originally Posted by igitur55

Fascinating! Can you get these razors as sharp as a Western razor? As sharp, say, as the sharpest TI or Dovo in your rotation?

Thanks for the translation!

You're welcome for the translation. As for the other questions, I can't tell you. I don't have a TI or Dovo, but my gut tells me that yes indeedy, they can get as sharp as anything around.

Awesome Job Jim. Thank you.

I am a little confused. I just want to know if I got this right.

Hone the wedge side down using moderate pressure 5mm up from the edge. 7 laps
Hone the hollow side down with light pressure on the edge. 5 laps

Do I have this right?

Originally Posted by CraigJ

I am a little confused. I just want to know if I got this right.

Hone the wedge side down using moderate pressure 5mm up from the edge. 7 laps
Hone the hollow side down with light pressure on the edge. 5 laps

Do I have this right?

You know, I myself am not exactly sure, but I think you've got the ratios backward. Concave side down 7, flat/wedge 3...

As I said in another thread, I was recently told by a barber not to hone the ura (wedge/flat side) at all....so I don't think it's all that set in stone in Japan, either.