Yahatamaru・八幡丸・Vintage NOS Japanese Straight Razor Kamisori with Leather Thread Handle Wrapping and Handmade Hinoki Wood Box

Yahatamaru・八幡丸・Vintage NOS (New Old Stock) Japanese straight razor (Kamisori). Directly imported from Japan and brought by us to a hair-popping quality and sharpness.
The razor was made in the Showa period and has a length of 14.5 cm, width of 2 cm, length of cutting edge is 4.1 cm and the weight is 31.2 g
A medium sized Kamisori

Similar to the traditional Samurai sword, this Kamisori was hand forged out of 2 layers, the cutting part is made of high carbon steel and the supporting layer of Iron.
The steel layer is brittle and hard, while the Iron gives the right flexibility.
Both layers are not stainless, so always keep your razor dry after your shave and protect it with a thin layer of oil.

Why is this blade not stainless?
Stainless blades are made of an alloy that will prevent it from staining, but also will make it less hard.
High carbon steels, like the cutting layer of this Kamisori, have a much higher hardness and will keep their smooth shaving quality for much longer before having to sharpen them again.

The blade handle is partially blued by us, to protect it from rusting. Bluing is similar to the protective coat which the razor had after being quenched in the time it has been made. Bluing forms a thin layer of magnetite (Fe3O4) on top of the iron.
After Bluing we have attached a brand new leather thread handle wrapping for a better grip, we use a traditional wrapping technique that is very common for Kamisori.

The Kanji / Katakana read as:
七郷吉信 ・ Nanasato Yoshinobu (maker)
快心作 ・Kaishin-Saku・ work of art - all gold lacquered.
however the markings were a bit rough, and it is hard to not possible to read, but we know from other equal razors, that the markings do mean this. Below and a bit to the left can be found the name of the brand, 八幡丸 "Yahatamaru".

The blade comes wrapped in red linnen in a handmade box.
The box is handcrafted out of imported Japanese Hinoki Wood. A wood that is used for centuries for constructing Japanese temples and shrines. A wood with a very fine scent. The wood is hand-planed by us with a Japanese plane, giving it a pristine finish.

After we built the box we laser engraved a Japanese wood block print on the lid.
Engraved on the lid is an Ukiyo-e woodblock print of Kitagawa Utamaro`s "正直者" - "Honest Person"
From the series: "A Parent's Moralising Spectacles" - "教訓親の目鏡"
This box is a perfect place to store and protect your Kamisori.
Perfect place to store and protect your Kamisori.

We will also deliver the original packaging of this new old stock Kamimori, as also seen on the pictures.

This Kamisori is fully disinfected, honed and shave ready.

Also note, in Japan Kamisori are not only used to remove mens beards, they are also commonly used to remove fine facial hair also of women.

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