Condition & Grading Guide

All kamisori offered in our shop are original Japanese razors, professionally restored and fully shave-ready. We do not sell unrestored or unusable blades. The grading below follows a traditional Japanese ranking style and reflects how we evaluate kamisori in our own workshop. Grades describe cosmetic condition, originality, and the extent of restoration — not shaving performance. If a kamisori is listed in our shop, it is ready to be used. Razors below Grade B- are not offered for sale.

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(SS+) Museum Grade (NOS)

• New Old Stock, unused
• No rust, no pitting
• Minor age-related discoloration possible
• Original geometry fully intact
• Original handle wrapping
• Original box and accessories (if applicable)
• No restoration beyond inspection and preservation

Exceptional, museum-grade condition

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(SS) Near Mint (NOS)

• New Old Stock, unused
• No pitting or corrosion
• Excellent cosmetic condition
• Very light patina or discoloration from storage possible
• Original geometry preserved
• Original engravings fully intact

Collector-grade NOS condition

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(S) Excellent (NOS only)

• New Old Stock, unused
• No pitting or corrosion
• Light discoloration from age or storage possible
• Original geometry intact
• No material loss or reshaping required

Grade S is used only for NOS kamisori

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(A) Very Good (Restored)

• Clearly vintage and carefully used
• Minor cosmetic imperfections
• very light pitting possible outside the hagane layer
• Blade width slightly reduced through historical use
• Engravings clearly visible
• Geometry corrected where necessary during restoration
• Fully shave-ready

A good balance of character and usability

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(B) Good (Restored)

• Visible signs of long-term use
• Cosmetic wear and discoloration present
• Pitting present but not affecting the hagane layer or close to edge area
• Blade width reduced through use, but engravings remain visible
• Blade width at least 15 mm and not narrower than the tang
• Omote re-hollowed during restoration
• Geometry reshaped and stabilised by us
• Fully shave-ready

Cosmetic wear does not affect performance

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(B-) Acceptable (Lowest Grade Offered, Restored)

• Noticeable signs of extensive historical use or light reshaping of the blade.
• Cosmetic pitting present also on hagane layer, however not penetrating the hagane layer or compromising the sharpness even after years.
• Blade visibly narrower due to long-term use
• Engravings still readable
• Blade width not less than 15 mm and not narrower than the tang
• Omote hollowing re-established
• Geometry carefully reshaped during restoration
• Fully shave-ready

Visible age and wear, restored for reliable use

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Excluded Grades (Not Offered for Sale)

The following grades exist for internal evaluation only. Razors falling into these categories are never listed in our shop, regardless of rarity or maker.

C — Poor

• Heavy cosmetic and structural wear
• Extensive pitting, including areas close to or affecting the edge
• Significant loss of blade width
• Original geometry heavily compromised
• Excessive restoration would be required to make the razor usable

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D — Very Poor

• Severe corrosion or deep pitting penetrating the hagane layer
• Structural instability of the blade
• Edge integrity compromised
• Excessive material loss
• Unsafe for shaving, even after restoration

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E — Unusable

• Structural failure or cracking, bending of the blade
• Advanced corrosion throughout the blade
• Geometry cannot be corrected
• Blade unsuitable for safe use or long-term preservation

Please note: this grading guide is based on our own Kamisori Harnisch criteria. Several Years of restoring Kamisoris we thought it would be necessary to help You, the user to understand how much life is still left in these Vintage gems. If You are new to Kamisoris, it might be hard or even intimidating to understand in which state a Kamisori is. We hope we can help you to better understand it with the invention of our Condition & Grading System.