thinking of purchasing this razer what do you think.

[allyourbasearebelongtous]

thinking of getting this razor, cost is about 320 usd. description as follows

"This traditional Japanese style razor is made of 200+ layer Dion Damascus San-Mai. The CTS-204P stainless core has very high wear resistance, and takes a wicked sharp edge. This razor features an asymmetrical hollow grind. "

"Overall length is 6.25". Blade length is 1.625" long and .813 wide. Blade thickness is .125"
Weighs 1.27 ounces
62 Hardness Rating "




usually when i see something like this its well over what the asking price is. does this add up?

 

[Legion]

Just from the pictures it looks pretty well made, but without knowing the makers rep it is hard to say.

For beginner razor maker $320 is about right, I guess, but you could be taking your chances on how well it is executed.

 

[ajduplessis]

Not at $320 IMO

 

[LJS]

You could probably do a lot better. At 300 or so you can get some nice proper Japanese kamis if that is your thing. Knowing that you just got into straight razors I might recommend you try some English or Swedish steel razors if you don’t have any already.

Question: does it look like a second bevel on the ura side? Maybe it is just the picture and the hollow but looks odd to me.

 

[allyourbasearebelongtous]

yea i dont know much about the maker. been on etsy since 2019. seems like a knife maker.

its appealing to me because of the short blade size. usually a custom razor like this from a artisan cost more then 320.

Question: does it look like a second bevel on the ura side? Maybe it is just the picture and the hollow but looks odd to me.

the bevel does look odd to me too looks like there is a second bevel i havent noticed that on a asymmetrical grind.

I might recommend you try some English or Swedish steel razors if you don’t have any already.

like what. i got my eye on a IWASAKI kamisori that's Swedish steel. i might get that.

whats some good English steel razors out there

my budget is 200 to 400

 

[MasterOfPups]

If you are into kamisori, you can get a new old stock Tosuke on ebay for around 150 or less. They are excellent razors.

 

[stone and strop]

You could probably do a lot better. At 300 or so you can get some nice proper Japanese kamis if that is your thing. Knowing that you just got into straight razors I might recommend you try some English or Swedish steel razors if you don’t have any already.

Question: does it look like a second bevel on the ura side? Maybe it is just the picture and the hollow but looks odd to me.

That bevel on the Ura side is freehanded and WAY too obtuse.
If you enlarge the last photo and put a straight edge to the bevel it doesn't land anywhere near the razor so it was never laid on the razor itself to register in any way to create or finish the bevel.
Its pretty but I bet it would not shave well and would take some time to reset what has been done.

 

[MasterOfPups]

That bevel on the Ura side is freehanded and WAY too obtuse.
If you enlarge the last photo and put a straight edge to the bevel it doesn't land anywhere near the razor so it was never laid on the razor itself to register in any way to create or finish the bevel.
Its pretty but I bet it would not shave well and would take some time to reset what has been done.

Good catch !
Yeah, that would take forever to hone out, and probably use up most of the hollow on that side.
I would definitely pass on that one.

 

[LJS]

That bevel on the Ura side is freehanded and WAY too obtuse.
If you enlarge the last photo and put a straight edge to the bevel it doesn't land anywhere near the razor so it was never laid on the razor itself to register in any way to create or finish the bevel.
Its pretty but I bet it would not shave well and would take some time to reset what has been done.

That is what I was seeing but wasn’t sure if it was just an illusion of the photo. If it is how it looks then it is a RSO/KSO and bevel is wrong for shaving.

 

[LJS]

whats some good English steel razors out there

If you don’t have a nice Wade and Butcher then those are pretty common to have. I like heavy grinds and a lot of WnB fit that although maybe a little over hyped as a brand. Multiple options for Sheffield steel blades but find a heavy and find something more delicate and closer to hollow and give them a try.

Swedish steel razors from Scandinavia tend to be pretty nice. Hard steel that takes a little more to hone but can get weeper sharp and stay that way for some time. Just about can’t go wrong and there are numerous brands people swear by and collect.

Japanese builds tend to be excellent. Wether Japanese steel or Swedish they are often very nice shavers even when ugly and beat up. Not sure I ever had one that didn’t close properly and center and I have had quite a few junkers.

There are numerous places and folks that sell fully restored razors from all these key areas. I’m not sure if it is ok to link them and I am not endorsing anyone, so my best suggestion is to google around and you will find them. Many in the $150-200 range in pristine shape. Also recommend you look in the BST on this forum where some are listed now as well. Good luck!

 

[allyourbasearebelongtous]

thank you. some good info here. Didnt know about the bevel situation learn something new everyday. Well almost everyday. I am defiantly gonna pass on that razor, i was almost gonna buy it too. The Swedish steel sounds good, but im gonna hold off on that for now, as i found something that i want to pick up. well two things. when i get it i will post it up. its gonna be sweet. this razor was appealing to me because i wanted something with a short blade that i can use to line my beard with. also im not into vintage or restored models right now. only trying to pick up new modern razors in the 200 to 400 range. when im a pro honer and stropper, then i will look into vintage models.

 

[lloydw]

There are a few options out there and you can have something made I’ll send you a PM

 

[Slash McCoy]

Etsy is generally not a good place to buy razors. After seeing a Gold Dollar 92 being sold for I think $87.50 or something like that, making no mention of its maker or origin, claimed to be shave ready by the seller with no bona fides. I see a lot of utter crap sold at premium prices, or at prices that would be pretty good if the item was of the top quality claimed by the seller. Prices are crazy there. Worse than fleabay, for sure. Just my opinion, YMMV. I guess.

 

[Steve56]

I think that W92 got up to $132, lol.

Etsy is OK, I like it because you run across folks that don’t know what they have more often than eBay, and can snag some real bargains. There aren't as many ‘Rare!’ rusty 5/8 there that you have to sort through dozens of pages to find something other than a rusty 5/8. That said, Slash is correct that there are many ‘dealers’ there wanting at least full market value or more for restored razors, and I usually don’t buy restored razors unless I am confident in their buffing skills. That’s not many.

 

[Slash McCoy]

thank you. some good info here. Didnt know about the bevel situation learn something new everyday. Well almost everyday. I am defiantly gonna pass on that razor, i was almost gonna buy it too. The Swedish steel sounds good, but im gonna hold off on that for now, as i found something that i want to pick up. well two things. when i get it i will post it up. its gonna be sweet. this razor was appealing to me because i wanted something with a short blade that i can use to line my beard with. also im not into vintage or restored models right now. only trying to pick up new modern razors in the 200 to 400 range. when im a pro honer and stropper, then i will look into vintage models.

If you really want a shorty, one turns up occasionally in a PIF. We used to see a lot of them when it was more fashionable to modify Gold Dollars. In fact you might check with @Seraphim and see if he has any to sell. Or make your own. Take a Gold Dollar 1996 and a dremel and have at it. Mark the blade where you want to cut. As you cut, allow about 1/32" for finishing. Take your time laying out the new profile. Use eye and face protection because you WILL shatter several cutting wheels while you are carving out your new creation. The tricky part is not overheating the steel and pushing the temper. You can cut or grind on the thicker areas for a good long while. Up to about 30 seconds on the spine. Thinner steel overheats quite suddenly, with disastrous results. At the edge, over two seconds and it is toast. When you see the Blue Stain of Death, start over with another victim. You can then finish the new nose of the razor with a dremel sanding drum or else a belt sander. Very likely you will destroy one or two as you teach yourself to do this. Maybe begin with a GD66 as they are cheaper.

Once your new shorty is profiled, you should smooth the burr left by the cutting and sanding so it doesn't scratch your strop. Wrap some sandpaper around a short piece of garden hose and hit it at a 45 degree angle. It won't take much. Hit it with maybe 400 or 600 grit, and also hit the profile of the nose with it, then some 1000 grit and if you like, the Dremel and a felt wheel loaded with 3u diamond paste or some other suitable abrasive. Watch out... it is heartbreaking to come so far and destroy the razor in the final steps. Power tools and fine edges don't play nicely together.

When you are finished, you might want to make some new scales that fit your new shorty razor. A bit of polishing, new scales, and you will have a razor that you can take considerable pride in.

You could also make a shorty out of a vintage razor, maybe one with a really big chip in the toe that is going to go cheap on fleabay. I suggest starting with a Gold Dollar simply because they are more expendable, very cheap, and there is a very good chance that you will destroy one or two while attempting this for the first time.

And remember, be safe. Power tools have no conscience.

 

[allyourbasearebelongtous]

damn. i couldnt do all that to save my life. also i have to purchase those tools as well. maybe i do that one day when i can hone my own razors. i just got into straights.