Thread: Kamisori panic

Originally Posted by onimaru55

You've only described the bevels tho.
Look closely in sunlight or a bright light. Check for any sparkling anomalies in the edge. My be a slight burr or microchips.
This was the edge I received. See what I mean ? Took nothing to fix but was not perfect initially tho cosmetically great.

I do like your photo. The more I look at it the more I see.
I use a 10x loup and the sparkles and glints that I see in
bright light are a dead give away that I am not yet done.

I might add that a hair will slide along on dull bits too thin to
see without magnification. Not a hanging hair test but
just slide the hair down touching it here then there.. it will slightly
catch on a good edge and slide on a dull edge. Cat whiskers
are great for this. The goal is to not cut the hair but to test
the edge.

Years ago I picked up a tester for kitchen knives made from
a hard plastic. Same trick slightly different scale.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

I might add that a hair will slide along on dull bits too thin to
see without magnification. Not a hanging hair test but
just slide the hair down touching it here then there.. it will slightly
catch on a good edge and slide on a dull edge. Cat whiskers
are great for this. The goal is to not cut the hair but to test
the edge.

I've used badger hairs from a cheap brush like this. I soon learnt not to actually cut the hair. The damage is obvious with a loupe.

Out of curiosity... is this razor honed yet?

Originally Posted by DFriedl

Out of curiosity... is this razor honed yet?

Lol, sorry on holiday till the 16th of sept in britain. Full report before the 20th, i promise. Did try a touch up with lapping film only and not enough. ( in the gap i have brought a second hand kamisori which needed 20 min on the 5k, which now shaves like a dream, so less worried about a scew up now. Still want to take off the min metal possible naturally.)

In the end had to go to the 8k to clean up the bevel only for 2 min. Then spent 6 min on the 12 k and 5min on 1 micron and .3 micron lapping paper. Followed by light stropping for 5 min. The edge is now perfect and it shaves like a dream, took off a 13 day beard that i grew specially for this test. Thanks for your help people, much appreciated..ciao

I was under the impression they were supposed to come shave ready off of Japanese naturals straight from Iwasaki (aren't their razors their number one item?).

The first nihon kamisori I tried came from a source whose honing abilities I trust to the fullest, but my first four shaves were far from comfortable. It improved after that, so my tecnique was to blame; their a completely different animal than 'western style' razors.

Before honing it or sending it out to have it honed I would shave with it five to ten times to get used to shaving with one. Especially if it was my first nihon kamisori. I've been occasionally shaving with one for the past three months (about once a week, so a good ten to fifteen shaves or so) and I'm still not perfectly happy with my technique. I do only use one side, though. I want to learn it the proper traditional way.

[EDIT] I didn't even read the last post, glad to hear it worked out for you!