hi all - New to Straight Shaving by about a month and was intrigued by the Eiko Glory style and was looking for more info, anybody have any threads with general info or some links that might be helpful? Are these models readily available, modern? I have my first two straights, Torrey and a Gong that I will show off as soon as I have figured out how to post pics... Currently using Stirling products for my ritual... Having a blast! Thanks all! John
Welcome John! You have great taste in razors. There are a few members with the Eiko Glory that will most likely chime in on history and shave quality, and this thread may add some more Japanese Steel to your list (I think the Eiko is on page 1). http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/japanese-straight-razor-thread.52548/ Looking forward to seeing your Torrey and Gong also. Tom.
Thanks for the welcome Tom! I think I may have looked through that great thread already and drooled over many of those fine Japanese straights...all look very fine indeed! I have searched a bit but it is hard to find quality info outside of for sale Posts or listings on the bay... Cheers!
Here is a Gong Razor I use. It's manufactured by ERN, and is a fantastic razor, but has a goofy name.
Eiko is a premium Japanese razor. They made several models, but the most common one is a 1/4 hollow symmetrical western kamisori in 'gunstock' type scales. The blade is almost if not identical to the King Pelican 14, but the tang is made differently. The Eiko tang is tapered top to bottom while the KP is not. Which one you prefer is just personal preference. It's a fine razor. Cheers, Steve
Thanks Steve! Have to look up the KP, so many different styles of blade only my one face... Maybe a sectional approach ...the multi razor, special occasion shave! For those times when one blade just won't do. Thanks all!
I frequently shave with 2 razors! Of course, I am testing stones and using 2 at once is a good way to compare because it rules out different soap, lather, brush etc variables between different shaves. Unfortunately they're usually Gold Dollars lol! I maintain a stable of GD test razors because I don't want to put testing wear on valuable or historic razors, and they're all pretty much the same. Cheers, Steve
I should get a GD for my entry into honing. If my strop technique is any example something not to valuable is a good idea! My tattered strop is showing a bit of wear after its first month...
If you get a Gold Dollar, tell the seller that you're wanting to learn honing with it. Many of them are too wonky for beginners to learn on and require coarse stones, edge/spine geometry correction ... But a good example isn't too bad. After you master the basics, a wonky Gold Dollar can teach you valuable lessons, namely how to deal with almost every razor defect in the book. Sometimes in a single razor - rofl. Cheers, Steve
Eikos are sweet razors—and unique looking. They take a great edge off the hones. I believe you can find them in both asymmetrical and symmetrical ('Western') grinds. You can sometimes find the occasional Eikjo 'Glory' on ebay—but many there are in less-than-ideal condition. I acquired the one pictured directly from an ebay seller for relative cheap, but the razor required some restoration and TLC to bring it back to life. Top-notch shaver! As @Steve56 mentioned above, the Eiko looks and feels very similar to the King Pelicans. I personally like the shape and feel of the Eiko scales.
If unable to find a decent Eiko (or the even harder-to-find King Pelican), but you like the Japanese blade styling, I'm a big fan of the Hoshi Tombos. You can find them in western grinds, but many are the asymmetrical (kamisori) grinds. This Hoshi Tombo 6k is a dream to use, similar in shape to the Eiko, but shorter (only 2.0" long blade vs the typical 3.0" length). They don't come in the 'gunstock' scales of the Eiko, but I enjoy the relatively small, broad 'easy-to-use-in -tight-spaces' blade. Not cheap relative to the number of vintage straights available on the market, but still a top-quality razor well worth the price.
Thanks for the tip Steve! That kind of "wonky" is what kept me from making my first SR a GD, lol! I may pm you to get your take on a good direction to find a GD. Cheers! John
Holyrollah, Wow great images! those shots are the type that draw me to the "Glory"! And I have to say that looking through your restorations was a lot of fun! Hoshi Tombo looks cool too! Thank you so much for your great info! John
