Thread: trad Japanese razor use

I have a Tosuke and used it fully with the concave side down. The contours of the blade are such that it seems to curve inward creating a more radical/aggressive attack to your skin and beard. Thus you would use lesser of an angle to your face. It is difficult to do this and do a fully adequate job.
Prior to learning how to hold the razor differently for different regions of my face, I did work both sides. It did very well. It seems that the insistence on use concave side in only, is a matter of "traditional shoulds or supposed to" rather then actual practicality.
It also seems to me that Japan has a long tradition of being a service culture. Perhaps the 'traditional shaves' were performed by a barber/shaver on the person receiving the shave. It would therefore be possible that this tradition is a function of the service culture, specialization, and compartmentalization of labor.
Just a thought.
Headdoc

I have to respectfully disagree with you on this. As you said, the razor is canted towards the concave side making it difficult to shave properly with the convex side. The issue is we all are looking at this as westerners and don't and can't fully understand the whys and wherefores of this contraption so we try and westernize its use to suit our experiences.

The fact is the thing is designed to be used a certain way and certainly you can use it any way you wish but its no different than using any other tool and not understanding it and using it improperly but taking the attitude of well it works so it's right for me.

Saying that they were designed to be used by barbers in giving shaves to others is like saying cars were meant to be driven by chauffers not owners.

Do you think that holds true for the feather AC(Japanese style) too?I mean the design aspect of it.

My understanding of the feather is that it uses blades that are the same on both sides though the style is japanese so you could use either side. The Traditional Japanese Straight has an asymmetric blade so there is a difference.Unless of course I'm wrong and those feather blades are different on either side. I know a few guys have them here. Maybe they will chime in.

They are the same on both sides. I was just wondering if the basic design was for a barber to use instead of the person shaving.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

My understanding of the feather is that it uses blades that are the same on both sides though the style is japanese so you could use either side. The Traditional Japanese Straight has an asymmetric blade so there is a difference.Unless of course I'm wrong and those feather blades are different on either side. I know a few guys have them here. Maybe they will chime in.

Yes the blades are shaped the same on both sides and the blade holder/handle is also the same shape on both sides, nothing at all like a traditional Japanese straight. All in all the only similarity to a traditional one, is the fixed handle.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I have to respectfully disagree with you on this. As you said, the razor is canted towards the concave side making it difficult to shave properly with the convex side. The issue is we all are looking at this as westerners and don't and can't fully understand the whys and wherefores of this contraption so we try and westernize its use to suit our experiences.

The fact is the thing is designed to be used a certain way and certainly you can use it any way you wish but its no different than using any other tool and not understanding it and using it improperly but taking the attitude of well it works so it's right for me.

Saying that they were designed to be used by barbers in giving shaves to others is like saying cars were meant to be driven by chauffers not owners.

Limos are built for chauffers, not regular cars. Same with an asymetrical blade versus a symmetrical one.

On the Rasurpur site, they have a listing for a "surgeons' razor, that is a very similar grind to aJapanese style razor.

Flat on one side, concave on the other, designed for one person to shave another, not intended for personal use. Sure, you CAN use it for yourself if you want to. You can also drive yourself around in a limo if you want to...

As you say, we as westerners have a different mindset about things. One of these, especially for Americans is about "doing it myself".

As someone who has been to Japan on numerous occaisions I can say that they certainly do things differently over there. As mentioned above, the service culture is markedly different, and I can readily believe that the traditional Japanese style of razor was designed for one person to shave another.