I know Florin Pincotan pretty well he's someone I trust a friend and a good guy, he's certainly very knowledgable and someone with more than a keen interest in Japanese razors and stones.
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I know Florin Pincotan pretty well he's someone I trust a friend and a good guy, he's certainly very knowledgable and someone with more than a keen interest in Japanese razors and stones.
Seeing as I do have some experience on which to base my opinion, I would say that it is flat out impossible to differentiate between Tamahagane or other steel on a hone.
Any difference you feel is heat treatment, not steel.
There are subtle differences in shaving feeling, but even there is a lot of variance. My very best shavers have been wootz and tamahagane. But some of the water quenched XC130 razors are equally good, and the Lancet I bought from Tom is at the same level.
The conversation about the Iwasaki with stabilizers and etched stamp is interesting. The notion goes they are fake because of the laser etching and the stabilizers. Well here is an example of a stamped Iwasaki with stabilizers. I agree that the shape and pins don't look like ones that are laser etched but I feel that this example proves that there are Iwasakis with stabilizers out there. Not common but they do exist.
Image is from So Yamashita's website.
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Well, interestingly it is said that those "T" razors are made by Tanifuji :hmmm:
Here is an Iwasaki with the markings of tanifuji, and the double stabilizers:
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㊂ = “Marusan” = sign/trademark of Iwasaki;トキワ = Tokiwa
登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
Tanifuji Fukutarō 谷藤 福太郎
So that's another example of stabilizers on an Iwasaki/Tanifuji razor. Not very common but clearly they did make some.
Indeed!
I need to adjust this in the article...
I had these pictures all along :nono:
Possibly (not sure...) only Tanifuji did this.
Still, I believe the stabilizers of the unmarked ones are because of other reasons,
and they are not made by Tanifuji...
Thanks!
I agree that the unmarked ones are a different thing all together. Iwasaki run a business. He had a huge name, somebody of his stature will not be making products without putting his name on them. No way. That would make him a horrible business man and as we can see on your website they placed their name on other things besides razors. Stones etc.
Tokiwa Razor,
Unmarked 岩崎 Iwasaki.
Reference not found.
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What does unmarked Iwasaki mean? You are saying the razor is Iwasaki just not stamped?
Can only be determined トキワ=Tokiwa Razor
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But artisan making is very similar to Iwasaki Tanifuji?
Acid treatment appears "hamon"
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All I can say is, if some one attempted to sell me a razor as iwasaki but without an Iwasaki stamp, I would request blunt un arguable historically demonstrated proof that his argument is Valid, otherwise, for me, such razor is not an iwasaki. On this case, the evidences should be provided by the person affirming the razor is an iwasaki and not the other way around.
That means absolutely nothign. ANY razor made in shallow hardening steel will show those lines and spots on the spine, because that is where the thickness of the spine and the trapped heat prevents a full hardening. Victors 1095 razors have this. My XC130 razors and even some of my thin XC130 kitchen knives have this.
So in terms of provenance it proves nothing.
Calling something an unmarked Iwasaki is nothing more than an attempt to artificially increase the price without any tangible reason.
At best you can say 'unmarked Japanese razor'
Can be sure that he has a labeled トキワ=Tokiwa Japanese razor~
I want to know Tokiwa right now.
Not how much Iwasaki can sell.
“Tokiwa” (トキワ) could very well be a company’s name,
in that case “Iwasaki” and "Tanifuji" worked with “Tokiwa”
I've written a little bit in the articles:
https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/...fuji-fukutaro/
https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/iwasaki/
(just "search" for "Tokiwa")
It could be made by a student of Tanifuji, who knows!
Thank you for your article, I have always seen ^^
Tokiwa Razor, I don't know which one produces razors,
is a good razor.
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The older frameback Suzumasa Swedish steel razors are amazing shavers.
The newer Suzumasa razors like the one that was printed with the Iwasaki logo are OK.
I guess if Iwasaki will come over and sign it in front of a notary then it’s an Iwasaki. If it’s not signed it’s anything you want to tell someone. Hey it’s your lie tell it the way you want