Thread: Japanese Razor Talk!

Ultimately the most important thing is we enjoy our razors our own way. Sometimes there is no right or wrong sometimes more than one ways are right nor wrong.

I have put the question to So a while ago. He is on holiday now. My experience is he investigates things, he has contacts in Japan, he has been taught honing the Japanes way from his father, he met with Iwasake-san and knows his successor (see my post on B&B) he deals in hones so I hope he'll be able to shed some light.

Think of it this way. We all use western razors and I don't think I have ever seen someone question why they are the way they are. So why were they designed to be used with two hands and not one? Why fold? Is the western way a better way? if so why? Is the shave superior? Its all a matter of your perspective gentlemen. Black is white and white is black. How would someone from Japan who never saw a western razor think about this? What conclusions would they reach?

And another thought, even if Iwasaki himself testifies the razors were made to be used two sided what does that mean? If you wanted to learn about how to use a straight or its history would you call Tim Zowada or Maestro Livi or Bill Ellis? They might be great razor makers but what does that have to do with razor use or history? Maybe they use electrics to shave themselves.

maybe some day we'll see a newbe post from iwasaki wanting instruction from us on how to use a straight. Wouldn't that be a laugh?

Like I said white is black and black is white.

Contact the Japan national Museum and ask the curator of edged implements if you want the straight skinny. Maybe.

what is the point with all the rhetorical questions?

We have questions. where's the problem with that miracle worker?

Look at it this way: How long has this forum been operational? How many questions are asked regarding techniques of straight shaving everyday. What is the average time between cycles of the same questions asked again and again?

The razor is one of the most simple tools- a single blade. one of the first things ever invented. why on earth should we even need such a place to discuss in such infinite detail

edit to add: fwiw my first source confirms that only the ura should touch the face. (concave stamped side)

Who was your first source, I didn't see it on a quick scan through the thread.

I think one of the problems that we are running into here is a difference in argument, i.e. whether it was intended to be used a certain way or whether it was found to provide the best shave by using it a certain way.

It may have been intended to be used one handed, but it is undeniable that many competent users report being able to use both sides equally.

Fwiw, my personal opinion is that it's appearance quite obviously suggests the one sided use, but the fact that the razors bevel, which is the only part actually cutting the hair, is a simple triangle would mean that an equally good shave should be attainable from either side. I have enjoyed using them one handed, but do not look down on using both if need be.

To me these are appealing, admirable tools of extremely high quality, produced by skilled smiths, and that is all that matters.

I think we are all in aggreement on that, so cheers to great shaves and supporting those superb craftsmen!

I'll assume you're asking me without any quote.

First I do agree; these are cool little tools. I have a passion for hand forged tools, and am pleased to be able to support

My first reading as I recall was posts by thebigspender detailing one handed use.( I don'y know I've seen every discussion on kamisori) I thought ; cool: good thing I'm practicing- though at present all I can say is that I try it out on occasion. Since then I've watched a few barber shaves online and it still seems like similar contortions would be needed to keep only the ura on the face shaving someone else or yourself. The whys of difficulty is not the issue I'm curious about- The traditional Japanese "trades" I have researched seldom do anything because it is the easiest, quickest way. Everything is done for a reason, if it so happens to make it damn difficult to accomplish-

I'm just a noob with japanophile tendencies. The things I do know about I am willing to share freely, just as the info was given to me. I'd just like to know everything possible. It'd be cool to discuss the ins/outs reasons for western razor engineering as well

I get my tools from 4 sources: Hap, Sou, Hida, and Tomohito Iida. Tomohito has been my go-to guy for some time. He advised that the ura is the side used on the face. I have hardly shaved once with my razor(it's an old one, not Iwasaki or tosuke). I just haven't had time to sort it out amongst other honing issues i'm having

I agree, why are we even discussing this? To me its intuitive how to use the razor and needs no discussion. I didn't use the terms myth. I'm only responding to that. It just seems to me that when guys pay a lot of money to buy a japanese traditional Straight they want the whole experience otherwise why buy it? To try and turn it into a quasi western razor makes no sense to me.

Its like people who go "camping" to get the camping experience and take a motor home with all the conveniences of home. Nothing wrong with it but its not camping.