Share your Shave of the Day for Friday!
Why So Serious? — Fri 12 Dec 2025
- Brush: Chisel and Hound – Screwdjriver with v28 Fanchurian
- Razor: SK式1 (6/8" extreme smile R. Saito-style blade)
- Lather: Noble Otter – 茉莉綠茶
- Post Shave: Gentleman’s Nod – Musashi
So this razor is unlike any straight (?) razor I’ve ever tried. @gcgallant@sub.wetshaving.social pointed this category of razors out to me and without it I would never have tried one. On first glance, these extreme smiles reminded me of modern fantasy razors with dragon tails, battle axe blades and whatnot. But as it turns out, these razors have an interesting story behind them, unfortunately one that seems difficult to google without reading Japanese.
Ryuichi Saito (斎藤隆) seems to have been some sort of barber celebrity in the 1950s and '60s in Japan, where he founded a network of barber/hairdresser schools called Saitō-kai (斎藤会) in 1950 and later a foundation for the standardisation and the advancement of barber education. In the process, he also designed two lines of standard razors for barber schools. On the one hand, fairly regular, heavy grind straight razors known as the Ribbon or Rosette 40 and 80 models, and on the other hand, the SK series (SK stands for Saitō-kai) with their smiling blades. There are the types (the “式” in the razor name means “type”) 1 (most smiling, and the one I have), 2 (medium smile), and 3 (slight smile). They were designed by Saito to be the easiest razors to use. Here, you can see how an SK式1 compares to an SK式2:
and here you can see an SK式3 for reference:
These razors were produced by many Japanese razor makers, including some famous ones like Kikuboshi and Diamond Hayashi, but I have no idea who made mine. (Most of the info can be found here, but all of the references mentioned are dead and only the second one has been archived).
This razor came blunt like a butter knife, but otherwise in great shape. I spend some time on the 1k stone to carefully set the bevel. I was worried that I’d grind some facets into the curved edge, and it took me quite some time until the rocking/rolling stroke felt natural, but I managed to get it to break the packing peanut skin in no time without creating any facets or corners. The bevel is still very narrow, which makes me think that this razor has seen very little use. And of course it also meant that refining the edge on 5k and finishing on 10k went very fast.
@gcgallant@sub.wetshaving.social had pointed out that this shape is actually great for shaving the hollow parts under the jaw, and while the geometry felt quite odd, it’s true that it fits really well into any concave part of the face. What a fun razor.
The shave felt good and went fine, but I obviously still need to learn the geometry better because I’m far from BBS.
Thinking more about the curved shape, I remembered having seen bronze-age Germanic, Celtic, and Egyptian razors with similar smiles (in the order I mentioned them):
So straight razors seem to be the modern fad while smiling edges are the OGs, huh.
Excellent write-up! I really appreciate the parts that you researched concerning the curve number. Also, the ancient razor shapes are quite interesting.
I joined you with a R. Saito shave today.
SOTD - 2025-12-12: Adventus Calendar
- Prep: Proraso - Crema Pre Barba Protettiva (blue)
- Bowl: Captain’s Choice - Obsidian Copper
- Brush: Semogue - Owners’ Club Cherry Wood Boar - 24mm
- Razor: RazoRock - Superslant - L3
- Blade: Feather - New Hi-Stainless (DE) (1)
- Lather: Ariana & Evans - Vintage Spice cream
- Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Valley of Ashes
- Post Shave: Zingari Man - Sego Unscented Aftershave Balm
- Post Shave: Proraso - Polvere Post Rasatura
- Tool: WSDB
- Tags: $discord
Indoctrination status:
[]Adventus Day 7
Today’s lather is a cream from A&E. I’ve only used cream a couple of times. I totally mishandled it. The lather on pass 1 was see-through. Pass 2 was barely there. Pass three was a few bubbles. Despite my mishandling, it was a slick shave with no irritation.
The scent was very nice with good strength. I’m not sure if it will hang with me throughout the day, so I put on Valley of Ashes aftershave. Now they’re duking it only on my face. I’m not sad.
I also got a full bath bar of Chiseled Face Groomatorium’s Midnight Stag, which made me giggle. The Stag will ride again.
Have a good day!
Chiseled Face Groomatorium’s Midnight Stag
Very popular in around here because many of us are members of the Order of Stag on Reddit :)
I’ll be attempting to join the Order next time the contest comes around. I have the shaving soap and aftershave too. I also acquired a 31mm Stirling x Zenith Boar to use in the same contest. :)
Excellent! Raw Hoggin’ with the Stag makes for a great Austere August!
December 12, 2025
- Brush: Truefitt & Hill Wellington 24mm Silvertip
- Razor: Kikuboshi R. Saito 6/8" Extra Hollow
- Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Spiced - Soap
- Toner: Thayers - Coconut - Toner
- Aftershave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Spiced - Aftershave
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
I took this opportunity to provide my thoughts on shaving with a smiling-edge razor and to enjoy my shave with Seaforth! Spiced.
Thanks for the video. Your Streamline video has me on the hunt. :)
I know what you mean! I’m on the hunt too. That streamline belongs to @walden@wetshav.ing.
Spiced++;
R. Saito ++;
December 12th, 2025
- Brush: Semogue - 610 Boar
- Razor: Wolfman Guerilla - Gen 1
- Blade: Personna GEM Platinum Diamond Glide Double Edge (4)
- Lather: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber - Soap
- Post Shave: Old Spice - Hawkridge - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive - Balm
I’m quite enjoying this blade. Was my initial side-by-side comparison between this and a Lab Blue bunk science? Is this blade actually different? I should use a Lab Blue a few times and do another comparison.
This little brush is just about perfect for a fast shave using a soap like this.
- Brush: Declaration Grooming - “Blood of Kings” Jefferson B14 28mm Badger
- Razor: Atelier Durdan Horizon
- Blade: Schick Proline (4)
- Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - Crangère - Soap
- Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Crangère - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
- Fragrance: Catie’s Bubbles - Crangère - EdP
Tried out the max setting on the Horizon this morning. Close shave, but not the most comfortable. I think after using this razor for a bit I’m realizing that the wide head shape doesn’t work super well for me, especially underneath my jawline.
Crangere, as always, was a lovely scent to start the day with.
Have a great Friday!
December 12th, 2025
- Brush: AP Shave Co. - Black Butterscotch w/ AP Pure Bliss Synthetic
- Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - Merica
- Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Seine Reserve - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Seine Reserve - Balm
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Seine Reserve - EdT
