I was looking at kamisori razors (fixed/ straight handle) and I have no idea what to look for on them. Any pointers on what to avoid? (issues, etc)
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I was looking at kamisori razors (fixed/ straight handle) and I have no idea what to look for on them. Any pointers on what to avoid? (issues, etc)
Been looking also but since I can't read the kanji's etc
My main view is minimal home wear just like a western
I have seen a lot of Kamisori's on E bay in awesome shape and just as many in rough shape. Many of the older ones have a lot of deep scratches on the Omote side of the razor. (Ura is the side that is signed, usually faces away from the face, Omote is the side with the lower height blade grind that goes around 2/3 the way up the blade). Most of the Omote is softer iron/metal and when the Omote is fully flattened by sharpening, people re establish the hollow grind. I saw a tool once that was a scraper to do this from Japan on Ebay; it was designed to scrape the softer steel and make the Omote face have the slight hollow grind again. Scraping steel will leave it very rough. Other razors look like a coarse bench grinder was used. As long as the hollow was restablished and the steel not overheated/damaged, the regrinds are OK, but when it's reground and still has lots of hone wear, I would pass. Other things like chips and frowns are generally ones to avoid unless you don't mind doing the work to get them corrected.
Look at both sides, especially the Omote of a NOS Kamisori razor. Then compare it to one like this: Henkotsu Kamisori Japanese Straight Razor Shave Ready | eBay
On the Omote side pic, you can see the wider flats from honing and the area between those flats and towards the tang is very rough looking. This looks to be from reworking the razor.
This one has a good amount of hone wear and very little of the hollow grind left on the Omote side:
Exceptional Vintage Henkotsu Kamisori Very Large Japanese Straight Razor | eBay
This one has a lot of hone wear and you can see the rough marks in between those areas on the Omote side. Kamisori will usually have hone wear unless NOS or unused condition, but when the omote side is ground flat, that can be an issue!
Kamisori Marke "井上藤助" Japanese Straight Razor Handmade K260 | eBay
Another with an Omote side that looks like it was chewed on, hone wear isn't too bad and still has a good amount of life, but the re hollow area looks rough:
Shave Ready Large Kamisori Marked "へんこつ" Japanese Straight Razor Handmade K226 | eBay
Looks to be new, unused:
Henkotsu Japanese Straight Razor Kamisori | eBay
Some guys can regrind the Kamisori fairly easily, but there are many in decent condition. If looking for a first Kamisori, I would get a new or NOS Kamisori and have it honed by a honemeister so you have a benchmark of what it should be like. Once you know more about them and feel more comfortable with them and want to pick up a project blade to work on yourself, then you can dive into the rougher looking ones!
As with any razor, look at as little hone wear as possible. Check out pics of NOS blades to see what they look like out of the factory to get an idea of what to shoot for.
Quote every single word. Couldn't have find better words.Quote:
Originally Posted by taz575
Thanks! Gives me more an idea of what to look for. I am guessing most of these are of good quality? I wouldn't be able to tell if it was good steel or not.
Great info, thanks.
I have my first kamisori's coming and see they have some of the wear you indicate to watch for.
Will be an interesting honing opportunity, if nothing else.
The watchword is GEOMETRY. If it has been altered it will never shave well no matter what you do short of regrinding it. The original geometry must be intact enough so it can be properly honed.
They should call them kamisortatiny's.
Just received my pair and they are delicate little things compared to a traditional straight.
Attachment 198191
Trying to hone them up on a coti. So it's more strokes on the stamped front face than the rear, soft metal fat side as I read up.
Like 7:3 front to back, heavier pressure on the 3 than the 7?
thanks gents.
No. The stamped face (which you have showing in your pic) gets less honing strokes, the other side gets more strokes.
Attachment 198198
Here's the backside shot.
The how tos I read seem to contradict each other and I wasn't sure.
Thanks for the help..
Cheers.
Look for Glen's honing a Kamisori. It is really easy to destroy one that is on the edge. He uses English and the method worked well for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeB52
https://youtu.be/dNCVe3Alye8
https://youtu.be/iRIQ3_6Cs5o
~Richard
This is also what I did. Never did it before. I got it crazy sharp. Have fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geezer
Mike
Ok.... I watched Glen's video on sharpening a Kamisori..... And what to look for..... BUT What is a good brand of Kamisori razor and maybe which ones are junk? I can't read Japanese.....lol
At the mercy of the seller?
Willisf,
I was very much in the same boat as you.
I bought my kamisori (two (2) Henkotsu, one NOS, one vintage restored) from Mr. Milton of Japanese-Razor Japanese Kamisori Razor and Straight Razors - KAMISORI Razors For Sale
He is a very nice chappie to do business with.
I suppose the most recognised name for quality kamisori would be Iwasaki.
For new buy, the 'Kanetaka' seem to be relatively abundant :
Japanese Iwasaki razors
There are many quality kamisori out there, with names most have not heard off, so it is a bit of a lottery.
Have fun :)
Best regards
Russ
And go to the website to see what a new one looks like so you have an idea of what you ae looking for. Over a year's time I bought 8 off the 'Bay of which 7 were returned to shaveable.
So, yes, it is a crapshoot.
Check the classifieds from time to time.
~Richard
Okie dokie.....
Gives me more an idea to what brands to look for. As far as "western" razors go....We know which ones are poor quality and which ones are good. I imagine that almost all of them that are actual Japanese made are of a good quality. I hope the Chinese aren't making them and fooling people who don't know the difference....lol
This is indeed the tradtional way.Quote:
Originally Posted by taz575
Personally, I found it easier to do it the other way around, as there is much less steel to remove on the stamp side. I got the idea when someone (I think it was Bart Torfs) described how to hone a microtome razor to have a real "shaving with a microtome" experience i.e. like a plane: one side only, the other side only enough to prevent a burr. It makes more sense to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pithor
This is probably because most razors that people buy are in need of restoration & a proper geometry needs to be set up. In this case it may be necessary to start on the back or "stamped side but as mentioned for usual honing the front or non stamped side gets more honing.
Here is a restoration thread I did a while ago.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...e-restore.html
