Thread: kikoboshi Japanese straight razor

This is my newest piece towards my Japanese collection it is a kikuboshi just came in today

They are a good razor. The one you have has been seriously tapered by honing. I find that many of the Japanese barbers do that with their razors and Kamisori ( old style ) razors.
They are not alone in doing that. There are reports here in the U.S. that speak of buying them tapered directly from the distributor.
Hone it and try it out.
~Richard

The razor came extremely sharp as did all my Japanese razors did. Just messing around it took facial hair off easy and dry, don't ask why I did it lol but this is the first one I have that is tapered like that

Here's a Super Kikoboshi I got about a litte over a month ago with a Yasuki Hitachi. This Kikoboshi was scratched up like someone used a small grinding tool or Dremel on it but I cleaned it up awhile ago with 500, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500 & 3000 grit wet or dry sandpaper.
The first two pics are eBay pics before I sanded it. You can see the scratch marks in it. The last three are after I sanded it. I still need to sand it, polish it & hone it.

Tapered on purpose or not that razor seen a lot of honing, that said when the hone wear almost meet the bevel im thinking it wasnt done on purpose. If you wanted a tapered blade why not grind the toe of the blade to start with.JMHO

Idk why it was tapered like that but like Richard said it seems like a lot of Japanese barber's did that with there and it doesn't bother me, the razor was cheap an I have 4 other razors and 4 more coming so I'm not too worried

It would appear to me, from the photos in the OP, that there is significant hone wear at the spine. If that is correct, and it is not a result of camera angle, or whatever, than I would say the razor had a chip removed towards the point, or that the barber was a vigorous honer. If it was cheap, and you like it, that is all that is important.

Engine 46 I was going to buy that same razor I love the scales bot I need to clean up my razors. I will see what I can do with what you did an was it all by hand the sanding

Wow good eye I just picked it up yesterday from the post office I didn't really look art it to close but you are right about the spine

I am still new And learning what kind of ground would you call this. Up close it almost looks like how my kamisori are ground if it wasn't so tapered