Thread: Iwasaki Kamisori vs Busch Solingen (photo heavy)

Being very curious about Japanese razors, and having an irresistible urge to complicate my life, I just got an Iwasaki Japanese razor (50mm blade length). It's my first Japanese razor.

In my forum searches I found a lot of great info from guys like thebigspendur and JimR (thanks for your honing video, a true service to mankind). But I never ran across side-by-side comparison photos between a Japanese and Western straight, especially focusing on the differences in blade profile/grind. So I'm posting this for the benefit of other curious members.

This is from a total neophyte perspective. I know nothing about Japanese razors. I haven't yet tried to hone or shave with the razor even once. But, I'm fascinated with it, and impressed by it.

The comparison razor is a (sweet) Otto Busch Weltmeister in 5/8ths I bought earlier this year from ChrisL. The Iwasaki is both smaller and lighter than I had imagined. It arrived in a nice Kiri wood box, that was so light that I actually thought it was empty when I picked it up. Yet the Busch weighs 37g, and the Iwasaki weighs 42g.

Anyway, here are the comparison pics. First, a side-by-side flat shot from above:



Blade profile, left side:



Blade profile, right side:




Blade profile vertical, left side:



Blade profile vertical, right side (No, the photo is not distorted...the blade looks like it curves slightly to the left in person, too):

Very nice pics!

Congrats on your new buy ! Let us know how you like it. Took me a couple of shaves to get a feel for mine but now it's a favourite.

Wait a minute funk soul brother, I’ve read a bunch of threads about your J-nats and you never had a Japanese razor? Oh boy, I think your going to love your Iwasaki. Great pictures by the way. Sure there is a bit of a learning curve with hold and with hone, but like thebigspendur say’s, that’s the fun part. JimRs video is what got me interested in going back to the str8 razor and to try out one of these razors. Thanks to all the people at SRP for making so much information available.

Mike

Thanks for your post.

It's hard to compare them because they are so different. Not only the way they are made and physical characteristics but the shaving technique and honing are all very different.

When you use your iwasaki remember that flattened spot on the convex side of the razor is a finger rest.

Very, very lovely razors!! Congratulations!

I kept reading about the new learning curve when moving from western-style straights to kamisori, and I'm now going through that period. You're in for a treat.

Originally Posted by MODINE

Wait a minute funk soul brother, I’ve read a bunch of threads about your J-nats and you never had a Japanese razor? Oh boy, I think your going to love your Iwasaki. Great pictures by the way. Sure there is a bit of a learning curve with hold and with hone, but like thebigspendur say’s, that’s the fun part. JimRs video is what got me interested in going back to the str8 razor and to try out one of these razors. Thanks to all the people at SRP for making so much information available.

Mike

Hehe, thanks Mike. Yeah, as intensely as I've been using Japanese stones for the past few years, I could never bring myself to try a Japanese razor, though I wanted to. The main deal-killer for me has been thinking: OK, really...so how might somebody actually go about honing something that looks like that? I mean, really?

Thebigspendur's posts and opinions about razors and shaving carry weight with me, so that planted the idea that it was a do-able thing. And recently watching JimR's honing and shaving videos tipped me over the edge. Seeing something done well as an example is a big motivator. I really appreciate the balls it takes to produce and post these honing and shaving videos, they are so helpful, thank you JimR.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

It's hard to compare them because they are so different. Not only the way they are made and physical characteristics but the shaving technique and honing are all very different.

I've been trying to get the basic handling and angles down by practicing with the un-honed razor near my face. I don't want my first kamisori shave to be a disaster. I did the same thing when I switched from DEs to my first straight two years ago. But I admit my hand still shook quite a bit when I tried my first straight shave, I was still very intimidated by an open blade at the time. But those simulated practice sessions definitely helped.

I was humbled by how little of my accumulated DE shaving skills were directly translatable to straight shaving - using light pressure was about it, everything else was pretty much a do-over! At least I had already worked out effective beard prep and lathering. Hopefully it won't be quite such a big jump between a Western-style and Japanese straight, but at least this time, I won't be so shocked if it is.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

When you use your iwasaki remember that flattened spot on the convex side of the razor is a finger rest.

Interesting, thanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by yohannrjm

Very, very lovely razors!! Congratulations!

I kept reading about the new learning curve when moving from western-style straights to kamisori, and I'm now going through that period. You're in for a treat.

Thank you! very much looking forward to learning it. I'm definitely a Western-style straight fan, but the urge to try just one Japanese razor had become irresistible for me. I have to know, like I just had to know what a straight shave was like two years ago when I was a huge DE fan. I liked it, and here I am.

I'm sure I'll be posting impressions and questions as I learn this. I think I've stumbled into a subculture of a subculture, with you Japanese razor types.

Just running across these pics in my research prior to buying my own Kamisori. Great pics! I need one! Where did you purchase yours?

Originally Posted by yekim156

Just running across these pics in my research prior to buying my own Kamisori. Great pics! I need one! Where did you purchase yours?

SRD carries them, although I just checked and they are sold out at the moment.

Reading this older thread makes me curious how the shave went for Fatboy Slim....

...You mean the late Fatboy Slim?.....

I know terrible to joke about that but I couldn't resist. I'm sure he's fine...but where is he? Hmm...