Thread: Shaving with Japanese razor

This Should Help found this in the review forums. It's a review on a Japanese style razor.

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I'm not sure about benefits, but in respect to shaving with both sides, the only way this can be accomplished is by inproper honing technique. In which case you are going to throw off the angle of the blade and the design, basically rendering it a "Frankenrazor".

Reference: The word Frankenrazor is quoted from Bigspendur.

Just read a post from bigspendur where he said you can do it, but it is less comfy. If you turn it into a Frnakenrazor, sure, the it would work. But if I was oging to do that, i would just as soon get a japanese STYLE razor made by one of the custom makers. I just posted on a thread about jsut such a thing.

I dunno. The japanese razor I'm using has a grand hollow on the back and a minor hollow on the front. The bevel has been honed flat on front and back, and if Oldschool thinks it's screwed up, I'm not the one that honed it that way, and if only the edge bevel were viewed you'd have a hard time distinguishing any difference with any other razor.

The razor looks disproportional because of the discrepancy between the two types of grinds, but shaves no differently, comfortwise, front or backside than any other "regular" razor I have. If anything, it shaves longer between touch ups. YMMV.

I spent some time looking for a video but didn't find one. There are some good grip pictures in this post if you scroll down to post #35. I get great shaves with the Tosuke. I think the rubber handle allows for a more traditional grip but the Iwasaki still eludes me. It bit me pretty good a week or so back so he's spending a little time in his box while I heal. It's a wicked sharp blade so mistakes are not forgiven.

I'll put in my two cents.

I tried a Tosuke, and I used both sides.
Here's a pic of the grind on that razor


Pretty cool! I loved the look of that razor, and it took a terrific edge.

The angle to the face did need to be adjusted, and you could feel a difference that made that adjustment necessary.

It is simple geometrical fact that the cutting bevel bisector is not aligned on-axis in a Japanese style razor, the way it is on a western style razor. Please see attchment for my drawings in that regard.

That being said, if you make the angular correction, there is no reason whatsoever that you cannot then also shave with both sides.

Honing each side may indeed require a difference in technique, as one side is like a hollow grind, the other like a wedge.

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I didn't say screwed, just that it would have to be improperly honed. You may not recall but I made a post a while back telling the excited news, that I had the great fortune to be taught how to hone Japanese razors correctly by a retired barber. His method was somewhat different to Bigspendur's but the priciple is similar in that one side receives more honing than the other. Significantly more, and attempting to shave with both sides, results in an extremely uncomfortable and painful shave. I know because I gave it a try.

Found that post and intrigued by it now. I have not had any uncomfortable experience to this point shaving with either side which is why I dont' understand it.