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What straight did you use today? Now with PICTURES

Head shaving today. Awesome blade!
USSR early 1930s. "Vacha". 4/8". Near Wedge. Excellent condition with original geometry.
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Todays Shave

Geo Wostenholm & Sons Double Concave IXL razor
Chiseled Face Trade Winds
Rubberset 400/3 Silvertip
English Leather Cologne Splash

Just finished putting new scales on the razor and honed up, wow it just brushes the whiskers away with no trouble at all. BBS no weepers at all fantastic shave

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That is a beautiful razor, and greatly restored.
 
To me a razor isn't just a piece of steel. I want to put it into a context. I want to know about the company that made it, when the razor was made, what society looked like then, how the workmen lived and what razor models that came before and after. I can find, read and understand this information when i comes to American and European made razors. I share some of this information, but some I keep to myself, like which very appreciated razor maker that supplied the SS with all of their daggers, knifes and other edged weapons (don't ask). This is a happy forum so let's focus on the good and let bygones be bygones.

When it comes to Japanese razors I don't understand Japanese. I know so much about the Japanese society that I know that I almost have no knowledge at all, even though The Swedish and Finnish cultures supposedly are as close to the Japanese as European culture gets. In short I have no way of digging into the society or the social context in which Japanese razors were made. This is the explanation to why I, with the exception of my Feather DX, never have bought a Japanese razor. I was given one by a very kind B&B-member that also gave me a lot of support when tragedy struck.

I recently was given a second Japanese razor by another very friendly B&B-member. I wish to thank him and all of you for showing such great spirit and camaraderie. End of the interlude, please let's get to the razor porn.

Today was my first shave with this very sharp, but smooth Diamond Hayashi razor.

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To me a razor isn't just a piece of steel. I want to put it into a context. I want to know about the company that made it, when the razor was made, what society looked like then, how the workmen lived and what razor models that came before and after. I can find, read and understand this information when i comes to American and European made razors. I share some of this information, but some I keep to myself, like which very appreciated razor maker that supplied the SS with all of their daggers, knifes and other edged weapons (don't ask). This is a happy forum so let's focus on the good and let bygones be bygones.

When it comes to Japanese razors I don't understand Japanese. I know so much about the Japanese society that I know that I almost have no knowledge at all, even though The Swedish and Finnish cultures supposedly are as close to the Japanese as European culture gets. In short I have no way of digging into the society or the social context in which Japanese razors were made.

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I totally agree about the fascination of context and history for these razors Arne.
But for me the obscurity of their origins is what makes these Japanese razors so fascinating and worthy of research.

When I was researching Kamisori markings it soon became apparent that 20th Century history is not a topic easily discussed with most of my Japanese contacts (for reasons not appropriate to this forum, as with your dagger manufacturer) so most of the information had to be pieced together from official company histories and literal translations of markings.
I’ve read some excellent interviews with Iwasaki-San about the Japanese Razor industry in the 1950’s including the info that “shorty” blades were introduced to be easier to use for the new wave of women barbers who often had very small hands!
But even in these interviews Iwasaki often says that he can’t remember a lot of things....

... Luckily for us the makers of the Chinese Kurenai which I used for today’s shave put a lot of the information on the blade in English :)

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To me a razor isn't just a piece of steel. I want to put it into a context. I want to know about the company that made it, when the razor was made, what society looked like then, how the workmen lived and what razor models that came before and after. I can find, read and understand this information when i comes to American and European made razors. I share some of this information, but some I keep to myself, like which very appreciated razor maker that supplied the SS with all of their daggers, knifes and other edged weapons (don't ask). This is a happy forum so let's focus on the good and let bygones be bygones.

When it comes to Japanese razors I don't understand Japanese. I know so much about the Japanese society that I know that I almost have no knowledge at all, even though The Swedish and Finnish cultures supposedly are as close to the Japanese as European culture gets. In short I have no way of digging into the society or the social context in which Japanese razors were made. This is the explanation to why I, with the exception of my Feather DX, never have bought a Japanese razor. I was given one by a very kind B&B-member that also gave me a lot of support when tragedy struck.

I recently was given a second Japanese razor by another very friendly B&B-member. I wish to thank him and all of you for showing such great spirit and camaraderie. End of the interlude, please let's get to the razor porn.

Today was my first shave with this very sharp, but smooth Diamond Hayashi razor.

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Nice one Arne and props to the B&B member that sent it to you.....:a17:

I, like yourself, have very few japanese razors but the couple i have are crazy sharp and hold an edge for a very long time...funny thing thow is they dont like to be sharpened on anything but a jnat, im not kidding, i have tried on my glass stones and coticule...best edges are always from the jnat. :001_huh:
 
Wacker Chevalier helped me doing my personal grooming today. Lovely blade, the only one I've bought factory-new, very much due to the high praise Arne has given it. I think Arne also once pointed out the similarity between the name "Wacker" and the swedish word "Vacker" which means beautiful. A very happy and convenient coincident that!

 
Todays Shave

Wade & Butcher 8/8th barbers use Rattler
Schmiere - Abschaum Soap
Yaqi 26mm Moka Express Two Band Badger
Armani Code scent


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Westholme Strop ~ White Dog Scuttle ~ Morris & Forndran Brush ~ AdP Shaving Cream ~ AdP Cologne

Wade & Butcher, 9/8, The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor, For Barbers Use

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