buying kamisori online?

[Biglo13]

What to look for when buying kamisori on line/auction?

I know very little about them, never owned or even handled one.
I'm not looking for a hero piece, but i do want them to be serviceable and get a decent shave from.

I'm thinking about buying kamisori/s from auction on line. I have a pretty good idea of what a decent Straight looks like online, but am unsure of what to look for with a kamisori. My straight standards .....pitting rust, frown excessive/uneven spine wear. What else should i be looking for?

 

[Slash McCoy]

A badly worn kamisori won't hone the same way as one with the original geometry nearly intact. I have found a couple of old beaters that honestly honed up better going 2:1 or even 1:1. Some that respond well to 7:1 or even 10:1. But the old beaters can be had really cheap. I picked up 5 for $20 plus I don't remember, but very reasonable shipping. One was utterly unusable. One was pretty sad but usable. Three were okay. And since I am very clumsy and careless with a kami, when I am on a kamisori kick, I do need a pretty good handful of razors ready to rock. This doesn't happen for me very often. The novelty has faded and I find a Western style razor much more practical, but everyone should try a kamisori or two at some point. They are interesting and fun.

Apart from abnormal wear, watch for edge damage, severe rust or pitting, etc, just like with a folding razor. Stay north of $40 if you want something fairly nice. NOS if you can afford it. The cheap multi razor package deals are usually someone clearing out his collection of junk and you could be unlucky enough to get all losers. Just my observation. Again, decades of hone wear can upset the well thought geometry of a kami and change its character considerably.

I am far from being an expert on these blades so take this advice as worth every penny you paid for it. Knock your own thing, with money you can afford to dispose of.