ok so i have been looking for the best razor i can get my hands on. i was looking at DOVO and TI at first. i have a DOVO (nothing special...seems like its the "entry level" type) and i really couldnt get it very sharp at first. after months of research on here and thanks to many people and their great info i was able to get it fairly sharp. enough for a good shave but i was also a newbie at the time i got it. so i was really wanting to try TI because i have heard that they get very nice shaves but of course the only real problem is the quality control that they don't have. so i looked into making new scales and perfect my sharpening for it. then i saw the Kamisori video by JimR and started looking into that. it seems easy how to sharpen it. so i found an Iwasaki razor for sale for $275 plus shipping and tax. (worked out to be about $280) here is the site i saw some of the records with this razor http://www.munemasa.co.jp/english/1707/1707-301.htm now i do know it does depends on the quality of the shave at that 1032nd shave. but....being as it was about the same price as a TI i went with the Iwasaki. (it also helps that i trust the Japanese with all my blades so i am biased) now i dont have of course any say as far as how a TI shaves but....the Iwasaki was magical. ready to shave right out of the little pine box i got with it. now my first shave with it....was the best i have ever gotten. i have tried 3 razors. DOVO, Gold Beetle, and a mystery blade. this Iwasaki blew all of them out of the park. and i could actually get this razor really sharp. now i noticed that Iwasaki probably used a Nakayama stone to sharpen it because of the shine and lack of scratches from a sharpening stone. iv had this razor now for a few months and its the only one i shave with. i also noticed i dont get cut as easy. with the Gold Beetle that i have because its so thin on the cutting edge it cuts into my skin very easy...or at least thats what i think. with the Iwasaki it is more....blunt i guess but deff. sharper. it could also be the steel that he uses as well. but after using this razor i know that i want 6 more. that way i can also pass it on to a few people as well. so if your thinking of getting a new razor...and looking at performance and one that is easy to sharpen....go for the Iwasaki. its about the same price as a TI and some DOVO razors. i think for the same price as those you get a razor that is much much better. :bounce017Long live Iwasaki!:bounce017
Glad Iwasaki impressed you as it did me. So much so, that I got the another one from JimR ( fast shipping to boot ) as well as other kamisoris from others. I'd post mine but I'm prevented from links/pics.
how do you strop yours? the same? iv noticed it gets the best edge from the .25 diamond paste. CrOx does nice but i feel the diamond paste does just a hair better.
Sounds very tempting. I have to get over my bias to Filarmonica, Heljestrand and Engstrom framebacks though. Those three rule my straight razor rotation. I am sampling the DE market so while I'm experimenting? Kind regards,
I strop it like I would a western. Honing however is different. I've used 7:1 on my Norikazu Kanetake. After the first set I then played it safe with 3:1. The one stroke would be the stamped/ura/back side and non-stamped/omote/front would be majority of work done. But I'm no expert as I've only honed 1. I also palm strop them.
