What is a Japanese style straight razor?
Japanese products have long been known and recognized for their high quality and their durability, and straight edge razors continue this tradition. A Japanese straight razor is hand crafted and forged from one solitary piece of steel. The handle may be adorned with ornate Japanese lettering.
Only in Japan is the art of excellent quality razor blade making practiced. You will find the sharpest blades, knives, and cutlery coming from Japan.
The single edge blade can provide a smooth, close and comfortable shave.
They come in a no folding style, meaning the razor does not fold into the handle like more Westernized razors. It is all one long piece which usually measures 6 to 7 inches.
How do you sharpen them?
You will need to hone the razor to keep in sharp. Just as there is an art to straight razor shaving, there is a art you can learn to honing your blade. You can buy a whetstone and watch some instructional videos on YouTube to learn how to sharpen your Japanese straight razor correctly.
There are also several straight razor forums where you can learn from others who have a similar interest in straight razor shaving and share their tips on how to keep your razor sharp.
Since these razors are handcrafted, other users have reported being able to go for 100s of shaves with just one honing.
Where can you buy them?
There are several places online you can locate a Japanese style straight edge razor. You can start with the big sites like Amazon and Ebay. And then move to sites like Classic Shaving or other straight razor sites.
How much do they cost me?
Because of their high quality and limited supply, they are in high demand and go for a premium price. You can easily pay over $200 for your razor. However, this should be the last razor you ever have to buy.
Some brands you want to search for include: Tosuke, Iwasaki, Tamahagane
You can maintain it and sharpen it and keep it in good condition to give you a very smooth and very close shave every time without having to pay for any more expensive razor blade cartridges.
If you want to discover the wonderful experience of shaving with a Japanese straight razor every morning, browse the selection here and pick up a straight razor shaving set for yourself and enjoy.
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