Vintage Biken Yasuki Japanese Steel Kamisori Straight Razor

Vintage Biken Yasuki Japanese Steel Kamisori Straight Razor

These items are very scarce and not something you are bound to find in South Africa. Some of them fetch crazy prices - a while ago, a Tamahagane steel one sold on eBay for R14 000!

What makes these razors so unique and sought after? The reason is very obvious: think about Katana and Samurai sword blades or Santoku, Gyuto or Yanagiba knives. The common denominator is QUALITY STEEL. The Japanese are well known for their obsession to only make the BEST steel for everything which must cut.

And each forging process is different: each of these masters have their own recipes i.t.o the quantity of steel, carbon, nickel, chrome etc which goes into the forging of the blades. And when the blade is completed, they proudly punch their personal details on the blades.

These razors are incredibly sharp and they keep their edges for a long time. They are excellent shavers and easy to manoeuvre around the contours of one's face. Being hollow ground on one side only, they require a special sharpening technique. But once sharpened, strop easily on a leather strop, news paper or even on one's hand.

There is a HUGE resurgence worldwide to the traditional wet shave. And the reasons are simple: 

1) The best shaves ever
2) Very cheap
3) Very satisfying - nothing  like a clean shaved face
4) The nostalgia, the ritual and the smell

And ask yourself the question: Why do all professional barbers worldwide still use traditional shaving tools? So come on people, join the millions who know what a shave should be like!

Here is a nice video tutorial on how to sharpen a Kamisori razor. This is taking it to the extreme. I use a 3000/8000 grit whetstone, followed by a leather strop, and mine is scarily sharp: