Thread: Unmarked Iwasaki razors on ebay

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.

Originally Posted by Magpie

A Japanese seller had a blade up for sale, and he clearly stated that his Iwasaki was NOT genuine, that it was a high quality counterfeit. He made a point of stating that it is a fine blade, and shaves excellent but that he believed it to be a counterfeit as Iwasaki did not use etching. Its possible that any blades without an actual stamping are counterfeits. Acid etching will NOT just "wash off" but the super thin layer of some modern markings certainly will. They are practically a painted on layer that will wear away in short order if you do not take care of them. I am a cheap bastard, so as far as I'm concerned, I'll pay 30 bucks for a high quality counterfeit because it IS high quality. But if Im going to buy something because I expect both the magic and prestige that comes with a name brand, that name brand had better be "set in stone" so to speak In an earlier part of this thread, somebody mentioned sending the razor to another person for an opinion on it, As expected, the answer of "it gets sharp and shaves" is all your really going to hope for anyway. Besides, unless you hone Iwasaki Tamahagene blades on the regular, you would never be able to feel a difference between them and any other blade you hone. Just my useless 2cent

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.

Originally Posted by lz6

Just my two bits but I find it very hard, if not impossible, for genuine Iwasaki razors for sell, but unmarked.

That is a giant leap of faith that I would not muster.

I can all but guarantee that you are correct.

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.

Well, interestingly it is said that those "T" razors are made by Tanifuji

Here is an Iwasaki with the markings of tanifuji, and the double stabilizers:





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

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.