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Thread: So my Iwasaki razor arrived...now what?

  1. #1
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    Default So my Iwasaki razor arrived...now what?

    Today I received an Iwasaki razor from Japan, in fact from Spencer the broker who has advertised here before. I gave Spencer a URL, he gave me a quote, I PayPaled him the funds, and five days later my razor is here.

    Now I've only before seen these in photos, and with the real article in front of me, discover this looks like a very different beast from the hollow ground straight razors to which I am accustomed. So somebody please tell me how I use this thing!

    The blade appears to have a grind that makes it usable on one edge only. Is that right? If so, how does one shave with it? And how to strop it? Hone it?

    Mine came with a small waterstone, still damp. Can I use my Norton 8000 grit waterstone on this? I am used to lying my other razors flat on the stone, each side...it looks like I can't do this anymore. As I'm a lousy knife sharpener without an aid to help me, I may have bit off more than I can chew on this one.

    The razor itself comes in a very tight fitting wooden box, and in a plastic protective sheath. Further wrapped in directions, with only Japanese characters, and wrapped again in non-rust paper. It has a brutally simple elegance to it, and I'm confident that if I can ever figure out how to put it against my face, it will gave a good shave.

    Thanks in advance for your help.

  2. #2
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    You shave with only one side. Keep the concave side against your face. It takes some practice to learn to maneuver around your face, but the gring allows for a sharper edge.

    Strop it like a normal razor.

    Hone it using a 3:2 ratio on the concave and flatter side, respectively. Back and forth (yes i did say back and forth) 3 times on the concave side, flip it over and do go back and forth 2 times on the flatter side. Repeat as necessary. It's pretty fool-proof

    Use light pressure

    Two hand honing (ie keep your index finger of each hand on the blade as you hone)

    The preferred stone is something around 12k though you can use your norton. Use less pressure with the norton as it cuts fast.

    Diamond pastes may help. Make sure you keep the 3:2 ratio, but only using a stropping (edge trailing) stroke

    Have fun taming the beast.

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    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    Welcome to the iwasaki club.

    You will no doubt realize it is not shave ready. The official guidelines for sharpening it are as follows. Use a 12K hone and place the razor concave side down flat on the hone and do 3 complete north-south or up-down trips applying pressure as you hone (also called washboard honing or going back and forth, yes back and forth unlike normal straights). Do that 3 times and then flip the razor over and do 2 trips the same way. Repeat that process until sharp. The art here is in applying the correct amount of pressure. Too little and nothing will happen. Too much and you ruin the edge. So how much pressure do you use? Well not so much that its uncomfortable but enough so you can feel it. You can also use an 8K but modify the amount of pressure you use.

    Now for the unofficial trick way. The Iwasaki responds great to a diamond pasted strop with .5 and .25 paste. The stroke ratio is the same but obviously you only use the normal stropping motion and you use no pressure. When I honed my Iwasaki I probably did 1000 strokes on the hone and finished the job in 5 minutes on the pasted strop.

    The real fun is trying to use it properly. You can use both sides but it won't give a truly comfortable shave. Its like putting a car in reverse and only driving like that. It will work but its not designed for it. Basically as you will find out its like learning to shave all over again. Once mastered you will get the closest shave possible with any straight.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

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    lol...so similar it's scary!

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    Anybody know where one can get one of these nowadays?

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    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    Well, Iwasaki doesn't make razors anymore and there aren't many of his left though I'm told he has an apprentice who makes them. You might be better off putting in a want to buy in the classifieds. Many guys buy them and then decide they are too difficult to use and sell them.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

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    The Great & Powerful Oz onimaru55's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oglethorpe View Post
    Anybody know where one can get one of these nowadays?
    There's a couple here under the 'Knives' tab
    Japan Tool

    I've seen them in person & the 60mm is a monster but feels amazing in the hand. If only I had the $$$$'s.

    PS So's closed till mid September.
    “The white gleam of swords, not the black ink of books, clears doubts and uncertainties and bleak outlooks.”

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    I Dull Sheffields
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    Thanks guys. Looks like I'll be waiting a little while before I buck up for one of these.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth Kees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by onimaru55 View Post
    There's a couple here under the 'Knives' tab
    Japan Tool
    So from Japan Tool is a reputable seller. I got mine from him.
    Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr.

  10. #10
    is Over 9000!!!!
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    Sorry to bump a 2-yr old thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Kees View Post
    So from Japan Tool is a reputable seller. I got mine from him.
    Which brand? I checked out the site and he said because it was a 1 man show it could take longer than even retailers. What was the turnaround time from shipping till it arrived to you?

    Thanks,

    Ivan

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