Kamisori - A Straight is a Straight?

A straight razor is a straight razor, is it not? Is a Kamisori that much different than a traditional straight? You can get just as sharp of an edge on both, can't you?

Yes kamisoris can get just as sharp as any straight razor... It should require a slightly different technique (only using one side of the blade instead of both) to shave with but I've used them just like any straight razor and get scary good shaves...

The grind on a kamisori is asymmetrical, which makes shaving on either side feel very different

What's up with the fancy shirt?

I was in japan at the time. I had to maintain "face".

I love them. The geometry is different so you need to pay attention when honing them, but they can be just as sharp as any western straight. As Heespharm stated, only one side is traditionally used as opposed to using either side with a western blade. Personally I do it the traditional way, but there are many who do not.

It actually feels a lot different on the face. It's completely rigid like a wedge straight, but at the same time you have the japanese steel that you can push to scary sharp levels. And the two spikes on each side. It gives you a lot to think about as you use it.