Japanese Steel

[silverlifter]

With April about to begin, and the Cherry Blossom season upon us, I thought it would be fun to have a week where we highlight the amazing cutlery from the Land of the Rising Sun.

So, from next Monday, please post your SOTD photos featuring Japanese razors. Tamagahane, Yasuki, Silver, Chemical, whatever; bring out your steel. Iwasakis, Tanifujis, western straights, kamisoris, let's see them all.

Share any stories you have about them, how they hone and shave (excellently, obviously), and generally cram the thread with as much of a showcase of these razors as you can.

Start honing now so that you have enough for the week!

 

[Seelector]

This is just an excuse for you to order some new half hollows, right???

 

[Eshebert]

@haggis where ya at? You go any of dem Japanese razors left? The way I swap up, 2 won’t make the week!

 

[silverlifter]

This is just an excuse for you to order some new half hollows, right???

Always browse before you buy!

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I like it. I'll need to think about the starting lineup though.

 

[Seelector]

Always browse before you buy!

I fear this is shaping up to be an expensive week for a lot of people

 

[captaincaed]

I'm traveling and wasn't allowed to bring my straights with me

I'll use my Harry's travel razor and think fondly of your theme week.

 

[Climb14er]

While I use a Feather AC DX and RG, two of my kitchen knives were meticulously crafted by Watanabe in Japan approximately twenty years ago. A Vegetable knife, Nikiri and a Utility knife, Petty, Hitachi Blue Steel, wickedly super sharp, strong and comfortable. Cutting and slicing with these balanced knives is a breeze. I keep them sharpened with Japanese Naniwa and Shapton Water stones.

 

[Eshebert]

I'm traveling and wasn't allowed to bring my straights with me

I'll use my Harry's travel razor and think fondly of your theme week.

That’s what they make those God forsaken Gold Dollars for. I pass them thru TSA at about a 50% rate,
and I do it monthly. At $4 a razor, it’s cheaper than using a cart.

 

[Steve56]

Let’s get started, no need to wait until the last minute! Cape 2000 up for a Saturday shave, AP Shave Co brush and AdP software.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I'm with you, Steve, let's go!
Falcon 1072 For Barber's Use. And it was, you can see that the heel and shank have been rather crudely modified in the usual Japanese barber fashion. This was the first Japanese razor I bought, pretty early on, and it takes a very keen edge although it takes a little more work to get it to the same level of smooth as some of my other J-razors.

 

[silverlifter]

Seeing you two have jumped the gun, I feel compelled to follow...

全國 西洋 剃刃 = Nationwide Western Razor
技術 研究會 = Technology Research Association.
理 專= Barber Profession

This Yasuki steel razor seems to nice to have been general issue to barbers in a trade school, so I am assuming it was a prize for students or a gift to faculty. Surprisingly light for a half hollow, but the balance and grind are perfect. A lovely way to kick off Japanese Steel Week!

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• silverlifter
• Mar 30, 2024

National 567 13/16 Half Hollow - Odax Ebony Synth - Goodfellas Smile Solo - Myrsol Antesol -...

 

[Acmemfg]

Japanese steel gets a lot of use and respect around here.

 

[Steve56]

King Pelican 14, and a couple of JKnife favs, a Fujiwara Denka and a Moritaki nakiri.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Osuga "Sain" 35
I think Sain may mean "signature." About 7/8, full hollow but stiff, and the factory edge is brilliant.

 

[alex1921]

That’s what they make those God forsaken Gold Dollars for. I pass them thru TSA at about a 50% rate,
and I do it monthly. At $4 a razor, it’s cheaper than using a cart.

In the carry on? Man. One time I accidentally forgot a 45ACP round in my backpack, just one round, and you should have seen the show at the airport.

 

[Acmemfg]

Could not have been worse than the drama which unfolded when coming in from Amsterdam; TSA at Logan Airport found a kilo of Gouda cheese in my carry on bag and had NO Idea what it was. After meeting the bomb sniffing crew and a few other members of the team, everyone finally decided it was no threat.

 

[alex1921]

Yeah, we didn't have dogs involved. Just some sirens/alarms, people running and the Minneapolis PD showing up. They were pretty good, told me not to do it again once I explained what had happened and we made our flight.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I am in!

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Yeah, we didn't have dogs involved. Just some sirens/alarms, people running and the Minneapolis PD showing up. They were pretty good, told me not to do it again once I explained what had happened and we made our flight.

I once boarded a plane in Sioux Falls unmolested with a small handful of .22 shells in my coat pocket.

But another time not long after that I got pulled aside in Cincinnati for the full workup because my trombone case came up positive for explosives residue. That was...odd... I'm still not sure what triggered that.