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Originally Posted by Robin1

FYI, Vanadium steel increases toughness and resistance to wear.

Yup, resistance to wear I worked out after honing one & toughness is maybe why they made model T Ford chassis' out of it
Inox razors are not 'better' shavers but can be very good if made well & honed well, same as any razor.

All steel will rust and pit. Stainless steel is just that...Less susceptible to rust, but not impervious. What you do to look after your carbon steel, you should also be doing to your stainless steels. Obviously if you want to take a bit of the worry out, if your not so good at remembering to wipe down the blade with some oil, go for the SS razor, but you'll still have to keep them dry and clean at the very least...Or learn to love rust anyway.


Mick

While waiting for a Feather RG or DX to come up on the aftermarket after Xmas, I took my first plunge into the world of straight razors. I bought a Kamisori Dragon/Higasori, said to be hand forged. I bought this one because it is sword style. I am left handed and most Kamisori's are right handed razors. There are a few "lefties" out there, but at 100's of dollars. You can see pictures and description here:

Vintage Japanese Hand Forged Straight Razor Kamisori Dragon | eBay

The seller also sold a Kamisori, also reported from a private collection, and signed by the famous INOUE TOSUKE (Widely considered number 2 in Japan), for $88.00!?

Vintage Japanese Hand Forged Straight Razor Kamisori Inoue Tosuke | eBay

Hopefully the buyer (and me on the kamisori dragon) got a good deal. I look forward to some critical comments on my first buy of a Japanese razor. If I made a "rookie" mistake, don't pull any punches. Also, out of curiosity, what is the price of a Feather Artist Club RG or DX (non folding) in Japan?
cheers,
Rob

That doesn't sound good. I will post how I make out with this razor. Worst case, I will mount it in a place that will serve as a reminder about buying something I know nothing about:-(.....

Your links aren't working.

But here's the link to the one you bought: Vintage Japanese Hand Forged Straight Razor Kamisori Dragon | eBay

I might be wrong, but that's no Kamisori, and most possibly just something to look cool on a bookshelf...

The description isn't very promising either, first : "Razor is shave ready and can be used" then a little later: " Can be honed and returned to a working razor or kept for display"...........

Regular Kamisori can be used either way btw.

I'd suggest you buy a normal western style straight if you want to get into straight shaving. And ask here before you buy.

I saw that one too. The last half of the description is the same for every razor that particular seller has on offer. The other's looked like genuine nihonkamisori to me, and this one, in my opinion, has some feautures to merit it as genuine. First, a 100% postitive rating for the seller. Not always a guarantee though, I know.

But the blade in there has a bevel (so it seems to be honeable) and some pitting, meaning it is at least 'vintage' to some extent, and not a new pakistani rip-off 'look-at-my-cool-blade-it-has-a-dragon-and-stuff' razor. The style reminds me very much of frame-backs, it has that same kind of thin wedge-like blade.

All in all, I'm not quite sure on the 'shave-readiness' of this thing (because of pitting, mainly, and the copy-paste description seems a bit dodgy) but it seems to me to be genuine and, depending on seriousness of the pitting and all, to be a potential shaver. Not quite a kamisori, more like a 'frame-backosori'. It'll look cool on a bookshelf either way (which is where some people put their high-end, shave ready solingen razors as well, by the way).

this is not a kamisori, it is a frame back construction straight razor.
Other than that nice looking razor, hope it shaves well

Originally Posted by Robin1

While waiting for a Feather RG or DX to come up on the aftermarket after Xmas, I took my first plunge into the world of straight razors. I bought a Kamisori Dragon/Higasori, said to be hand forged. I bought this one because it is sword style. I am left handed and most Kamisori's are right handed razors. There are a few "lefties" out there, but at 100's of dollars. You can see pictures and description here:

Vintage Japanese Hand Forged Straight Razor Kamisori Dragon | eBay

The seller also sold a Kamisori, also reported from a private collection, and signed by the famous INOUE TOSUKE (Widely considered number 2 in Japan), for $88.00!?

Vintage Japanese Hand Forged Straight Razor Kamisori Inoue Tosuke | eBay

Hopefully the buyer (and me on the kamisori dragon) got a good deal. I look forward to some critical comments on my first buy of a Japanese razor. If I made a "rookie" mistake, don't pull any punches. Also, out of curiosity, what is the price of a Feather Artist Club RG or DX (non folding) in Japan?
cheers,
Rob

Weeell. I do remember one of these turning up on the forum & the guy who bought it couldn't get it to shave. Same razor with the dragon & frameback design. Hopefully you have a different experience. I'm not sure of the translation but higesori may mean moustache razor.

welcome to srp and happy holidays

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