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SOTD FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 14, 2022
My son has been pushing me to shave with a Japanese Kamisori from his collection. Ben collects primarily Japanese western style straights, but also has close to 60 vintage Kamisori. He claims that this particular Kamisori is 250 years old. I would dispute that. It was, according to Ben, found in a Japanese warehouse where it had apparently been stored for 80 years or so. It bears the four stamps identifying it as tamahagane or Japanese gem steel.
This vintage Japanese kamisori one piece straight razor blade rather appears to be the type used for shaving over 100 years ago in Japan based on my research. Ben is a good trusting soul, who tends to take sales tropes as gospel. In reviewing the history of these little shave knives I learned that the makers of samurai swords turned to the making of these blades during the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912) when sword making became illegal. So that would make this particular shave tool about 190 years old at the oldest to a little over 100 years at the youngest.
If it was made by a master Japanese blademaker, as Ben related, in the tradition of the samurai sword with laminated forged high carbon steel that is reputed to hold an edge like no other in the world, then I needed more verification. So I called my old friend, Toshio Tatara who reviewed the Kanji. Written on the blade are the words, "Betsu uchi" (specially made) that might tend to indicate such blade construction. This was, of course, mostly supposition on my part
There’s clearly no doubt that this little shaving knife is certainly melting hair, scary sharp. I considered redoing the bevel, but after a HHT and a styrofoam peanut test that awed me, I decided not to in light of the following. This little blade didn’t just pop through the surface as my well-honed western straights do, but rather guillotined it right through to the towel below with just the weight of the blade. I decided to shave as is. Was I nervous? You betcha! Given the level of sharpness demonstrated, I ran it through the constroption and then did 80 strokes on my roo-skin bench strop.
I will say that the shave was amazing, albeit much, much slower than usual, as I worked slowly and one-handed to keep the stamped side out. I really took my time using the short strokes my son recommended, as opposed to my normal long strokes with my western straights. After the first pass there were only a few scattered patches requiring cleanup, and those were the usual whisker swirls on either side of the Adam’s Apple.
Following that first WTG pass, my face above the jawline was as smooth as it normally would be after my two longer stroke passes with one of my western straights. I chose to do flatblading on the neck areas - as scything strokes seemed too risky - to finish up, and that finish left me as smooth as glass. Great respect developed for this little Japanese shaving knife this morning.
If I ever have to effortlessly remove more than 24 hrs of growth, this is the little tool for the job. Ben has ordered a similar vintage tamahagane Kamisori from a vendor he knows in Japan for my upcoming birthday. The noggin shave with the wonderful Rex Ambassador that followed, cleaned up my dome in the usual two ATG passes. What does one say, however, after such an amazing mug shave? Well one thing’s for sure! I could definitely grow to like these little asymmetrically ground Japanese shaving knives!
RAZOR: Vintage Tamahagane Kamisori (Mug), Rex Ambassador (Dome)
BLADE: Feather DE (Dome)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a heavy scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water rinse with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with RR Blue Floid AS Dupe Splash.
