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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