The ALL Kamisori Info Thread (Or at least to expand on Kento's Kamisori Korner)

[casus4844]

I wanted to add to Kento's Kamisori Korner(http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/268919-Kamisori-Korner) since I have been lurking and searching about( Kamisori ) and own one!

First Kamisori in Japanese 日本剃刀 ( well nihon kamisori)

Ura = side with stamps = hollow side = side away from face
Omote = side w/o stamps = wedge side = side against face


Examples of Kamisori - I think this would be more appropriate link http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...res-Japanese-Razors?highlight=japanese+razors

A post from Telly :

Various Kamisori

1. There are virtually an infinite number of razor smiths who made or make kamisori. These razors were sold under the razor smith's own name, under a store brand, or under a generic name that denotes no affiliation. We'll never know all of them but some names are Iwasaki, Henkotsu, Tosuke, Kanetaka, Saheji, Machida, Hansama, Azuma, Ichihara, Shirakiku, Shizu Saburo, Takami, and Tomoyuki.

Sizes
2. I've seen varied spelling but I've known size to be referred to as 1 chogake, 2 chogake, and 3 chogake, smallest to largest, respectively. Each razor smith had his own size for 1 chogake, 2 chogake, and 3 chogake. In other words, the Henkotsu 2 chogake wouldn't be the same size as an Iwasaki 2 chogake. Some razor smiths didn't classify their razors as any specific size. The sizes seem to have no rhyme or reason.

Shave Quality
3. I'm hesitant to give a rundown of shave quality because I sell kamisori on eBay, specifically the brands that I consider among the best. I don't want to come off as trying to influence the market and to increase sales. I'll just say that you shouldn't be too quick to go for a name brand. A lot of unknown razors shave very well. Per the vendor in Japan, I was the first person outside of Japan to buy a Machida razor. I was the one who first posted photos of the razor on the forums. I was the one who told Takeshi to carry Machida kamisori in his shop. Now they're being bought by people all over the world and buyers seem to be happy.

Collectability
4. Tosuke is easily the most collectable kamisori due to name recognition. Size and style play a role. Large razors are more collectable than small razors. Some razors have designs on the blade itself. They're rarer and more collectable. Takami has handle styles that no one else makes. Tomoyuki has faces carved into the blade with great detail.

Types of steel
5. Swedish steel, Japanese Yasuki steel(http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/medias/sys_master/124_01_M_WE_D_en.pdf ), and Tamahagane steel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwQqtf86qOc ) About making Katanas but the tamahagane making is shown here). Swedish steel needs no introduction. The Yasuki steel is usually White 1 steel or White 2 steel. White 1 steel is nearly pure carbon and White 2 steel has a little less carbon. Both hold their edge well and take a keen edge. They're hard so they can be a pain to hone. I liken them to TI Silver Steel. Tamahagane steel is a distinctly Japanese steel. It's made from iron sand, takes special skill and diligence to forge, and is very expensive due to very limited availability. Tama razors are supposed to be the best shavers but I've yet to confirm this. Some Tosuke razors say, "England Steel." I don't know the story behind it. I know it's not steel from Sheffield, England.

Availability
6. Iwasaki kamisori are always available because they're still being made. Takami kamisori are also being made today but he hasn't chosen a vendor to sell them. Tosuke and Henkotsu are sold on eBay fairly regularly but the others are harder to get. If you're patient, you can still find some good ones at a fair price. If you don't want to deal with eBay, there are a few online vendors.

Honing:
JIMR's vidoes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7gyGbFB-xo
Maxims http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMXOnbOy2z8
For coticule lovers : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfU7FgLMchI&feature=plcp
Iwasaki's Book for barber- Talks about stones and honing http://strazors.com/uploads/images/articles/Honing_Razors_and_Nihonkamisori.pdf

Ratios vary per person

Making a Kamisori: Iwasaki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zClZFSRUVjM&feature=plcp
Paco : http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/289448-a-kamisori-journey?highlight=

Grind : I stole these pics but what the hell it's not copyrighted



Wrapping : I know it was just added but hey http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/295596-Kamisori-Handle-Wrapping
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/271479-kamisori-handle-wraping-dipped-in-Plastidip

Shaving: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RPykD7fx_0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVodtovNVds

Two videos on this site with two different sized kamis http://www.rasurpur.de/media/rasurpurvideosection/rasurpurshave/rasurpurshave.html

Where to buy Kamisori: (I'm not sure if this is appropriate but I'll post. If not let me know )
http://global.rakuten.com/en/search?st=&t=new&tl=0&t=new&k=日本剃刀
http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/iwasakirazors.html
http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.yahoo.net/japanese-razor.html
http://www.rasurpur.de/english/shop/wakamisori/wakamisori.html
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept...87B7DFAX3ZA3J09HX7FFO5SVR7AN0TO&dept_id=22924
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/Straight-Razors-and-Accessories-s/1819.htm
and Ebay,sometimes the BSTor PM Telly. If there is anywhere I am missing, just add.

Japanese slurry club: It's all in japanese but there are some nice things coming out of there, or at least examples
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yukensandesu Use google translate or babelfish ( whatever works for you!)

NOW I DEMAND THIS GET STICKIED! This is for all the Kamisori owners here!!


please........ I always hate having to search for the korner and having the same questions about this type of razor repeated over and over. Or combine with THE Korner

If there are any other links that aren't included from the Korner or this one add them here.

 

[Doc226]

WOW, thank you for the wonderful information.

 

[Obiwan]

Great post, thanks for taking the time to put together.

 

[Kentos]

Very nice! Thanks the hard work!

 

[ladykate]

Nice one.

I always hate to use 'front' and 'back' when describing omote and ura (public face and private face). So I stole this from Kent (or someone... think it was Kent):

Ura = side with stamps = hollow side = side away from face
Omote = side w/o stamps = wedge side = side against face

 

[casus4844]

Duly noted

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

Thanks for this great post

 

[ps49556n]

None of paco's videos are available...anyone know what is going on with them???

 

[jdto]

Just a small thing, but the link to my handle wrapping threads broken. Nice work on putting this all together!

 

[casus4844]

Fixed it. Thanks for letting me know

 

[Jporco]

All in one place, who could ask for more! Thanks.

 

[Buster Casey]

I saw a Kamisori on the forum yesterday. Now I really want to try one. Thanks for the info.

 

[casus4844]

Some more honing advice. It was translated by JimR of easternsmooth from the website JUMI knives http://www.jumi.co.jp/shop/riyou/kamisori.html
岩崎の日本剃刀を製作している水落良市氏が、本刃をつける研ぎ方で、砥石は京都中山のまるカ印の本山砥石と いう天然砥石を使用しております。（天然砥石がない場合は、セラミック砥石のシャプトン刃の黒幕クリーム仕 上砥＃12000をご使用下さい。）
Ryoichi Misuochi's Iwasaki Nihonkamisori sharpening style, using a Kyoto nakayama Maru yada yada magical mystery stone. (If you don't have this heavenly rock, please use the Shapton Ceramic "Ha no kuromaku" #12000 stone.)


1・まるカ印の本山天然砥石に名倉砥を塗りつけます。名倉の粒子によって砥石の表面は粒度＃6000くらい になります。
1. Create a light coating on your marukyu honyama stone with your nagura. With a nagura coating, the surface of your stone should be about #6000 grit.

2・剃刀を片手持ちで手にもって砥石の表面にピッタリとあて八の字の一画目を書くように引いて研 ぎます。
2. Hold the razor in one hand and, keeping it firmly on the stone, make the first stroke of an "x". *though not mentioned, this should be the "omote" side.
3・次に裏側を八の字の二画目を書くように同じく剃刀を砥石の表面のピッタリと当てて研ぎます。
3. next, draw the second stroke of the "X" with the ura, in the same way as the first stroke. Keep the surface of the razor firmly on the hone.

2,3を繰り返して行い砥石の研ぐ場所を変えて平に砥石が減るように気をつけて研ぎます。次第に研ぐそ（と ぎ汁）が細かくなり砥石の粒度が細かくなりま す。髪の毛で剃刀が切れるか調べます。毛が切れればよろしいです。
Repeat 2 and three, taking care to shift the honing area to avoid excessive wearing of your hone. As your slurry becomes less, the grit of your stone will become
smaller. Check the edge with the HHT. If it can cut a hair, it's ok.

砥石を水で洗い研ぐそを洗い流します。
Wash the hone well with clean water.

砥石の表面に綺麗な状態で2・3の方法で仕上げの研ぎを行います。
With a clean hone, repeat steps 2 and 3 to perform the final polish.

 

[casus4844]

剃刀を手の平に軽くなでます。裏側も同様にして、むだ刃（刃の返り）が取れます。
Run the razor lightly over your palm. Do the same for the ura, and you will remove the burr.

剃 刀に刃が付いたかどうか調べるには、髪の毛の毛根を上にして持ち、剃刀の重みだけで軽く毛が切れれば大丈夫 です（左図）。この方法は、理髪店のプロの方も 行う八の字研ぎです。剃刀に本刃がつきますと顔が剃れます。天然砥石がない場合は、#6000程度の砥石と セラミック砥石のシャプトン刃の黒幕クリーム仕 上砥＃12000をお使い下さい。
To check whether your razor has an edge or not, hold a hair with the root out and bring the razor down, using only the weight of the razor to cut the hair.
If the hair is cut, it's ok ( *Check the picture--he's doing the hht BLADE DOWN).
This method is used by professional barbers, along with the "X" pattern honing, If you have created a true edge, you can shave. If you don't have a natural whetstone, please use a 6000 grit hone and a ceramic Shapton "ha no kuromaku" cream 12000 finishing stone.

 

[casus4844]

Here's one more for the Kami curious this is from http://www.ehamono.com/ translation is also from JimR

方 市原さん直伝のカミソリ研ぎ（下の写真は、市原さんの手です(^^)）
Initiation into sharpening by Ichihara-san (Those are his hands in the pictures below)
砥石を5～10分ほど水に浸け、十分水を含ませます。
Submerge your stone for 5-10 minutes, until it is well soaked.
研ぐとき、砥石に水を付ける際、少し石けんを混ぜると、すべりが良くなり、滑らかに研げます。
When honing, as you add water to your hone, mixing a little soap in the water will improve the slip and make your honing smoother.


剃刀の裏、先端から5mmぐらいのところをしっかり押さえ、砥石にベタッと当てます。
Place the back (ura) of the razor flat on the stone and press firmly at a point about 5mm from the cutting edge.

そのまま、一定の角度を保って砥石の全体を使うように、スライド。
Maintaining a fixed angle, and making sure to use the whole surface of the hone, slide the razor keeping pressure on the blade.

鎬部分を研ぎすぎないよう、刃先に力を入れて、指と一緒に研ぐ感じで研いで下さい。
To avoid excessive wear on the ridges of the blade, keep pressure focused toward the edge,almost as if you're honing your fingers with the blade.



しのぎの部分と、刃先の部分が砥石にピタッと当たるようにし、※刃先部分に力をかけるようにし て研ぎます。
Use pressure to make sure the blade ridges and the blade edge stay firmly against the hone.

 

[casus4844]

表が研げれば、今度は裏面をベタッと当てて軽く研ぎます。
表７：裏３以下ぐらいで裏を研ぎます。
For the front (omote), this time hold the backside lightly and hone. Do not exceed a ratio of omote 7: ura 3 when honing the ura.



最後、手のひらやジーンズなどで軽くなでるようにして小刃（かえり）を取ります。
Finally, lightly run the razor on your open palm or your jeans to remove the burr or wire edge.

 

[Kentos]

Nice post, but he has the omote and ura switched.

Omote is the wedged size, ura is the hollowed marked side.

 

[casus4844]

Here are some names of kamisoris. Yes the pictures are of an ebay seller with lots of overpriced stuff but I get the feeling they are all accurate. If anything is wrong please quote it and it will be gone!

 

[casus4844]

 

[casus4844]