I don't own one, but I have a small variety of English, French, and German.
Can anyone recommend one (or more) that has good steel at an affordable price?
Can anyone recommend one (or more) that has good steel at an affordable price?
What is your budget?I don't own one, but I have a small variety of English, French, and German.
Can anyone recommend one (or more) that has good steel at an affordable price?
Are these vintage blades or new?What is your budget?
The cheapest SR of Japanese steel (ground and finished in Taiwan) is about USD 30 not shave-ready + shipping from Hong Kong. For ones ground and finished in Japan, there is no upper limit.
They are new blades - blanks made and heat-treated in Japan. Many are put off because they are not expensive and finished (ground, scaled and "honed") in Taiwan.Are these vintage blades or new?
Is there new quality straight being produced i Japan (not counting Iwasaki kami)?
If yes, were are they sold?
If you want something fully produced in Japan, new or used, I think you would need to go to USD 200 or more for anything reasonable.Around $100 (or less), maybe? Would that get me something decent?
Yes, it's mainly a US thing due to what their media feed them. I sometimes wonder how Walmart can stay in business there.I guess I have a problem with Chinese stuff.
Hone should be Hoken.If you want a pure Japanese vintage blade, which is what I recommend, you have:
Tanifuji
Ribbon Extra
Ribbon 1000
Rosette
Hone
Sankan
Diamond Hyashi
Kyoei
Iwasaki
Some can be had in NOS condition for about $130 (Kyoei)and a good condition Iwasaki will be $1000 or more. That is just a short list. There are many more. I have all but the Iwasaki and they are great shavers. My Ribbon 1000 was shave ready out of the box.
Where do you find these? Anyone in North America sell these? Or is there a direct seller from Japan?If you want a pure Japanese vintage blade, which is what I recommend, you have:
Tanifuji
Ribbon Extra
Ribbon 1000
Rosette
Hone
Sankan
Diamond Hyashi
Kyoei
Iwasaki
Some can be had in NOS condition for about $130 (Kyoei)and a good condition Iwasaki will be $1000 or more. That is just a short list. There are many more. I have all but the Iwasaki and they are great shavers. My Ribbon 1000 was shave ready out of the box.
Auctions like eBay, flea markets, tag sales, Etsy, etc.Where do you find these? Anyone in North America sell these? Or is there a direct seller from Japan?
Where do you find these? Anyone in North America sell these? Or is there a direct seller from Japan?
My experience buying SRs from that site has not been positive. Pass.eBay has lots of them, both US sellers and Japanese sellers.
It depends on which eBay seller you deal with. Most are scrupulous, some are not. There are no more Japanese razor artisans so you have to buy vintage. You can buy through someplace like Etsy but you will pay a lot more.My experience buying SRs from that site has not been positive. Pass.