Unmarked Iwasaki razors on ebay

[Oustoura]

hi everyone,

recently i saw an announcement on ebay by a japanese vendor. he was selling a razor said "iwasaki" look like a straight razor but without any marks on the tang as usual on other razors, he just added a picture of the iwasaki kanji (as printed and not engraved) but not on the razor which he was selling. i thought he mentionned the kanjis are gone after restauration.

i can not find any more this razor. but i think some among us, saw it.

the one is sold at first week, he put a second one the next week and it's sold about 20 or 30$ and there was not any third one.

what do you think? they could be a real iwasaki ? or just unhonest ?

[thebigspendur]

Sure an iwasaki for 30 bucks and next week a Zowada for $25.

[Oustoura]

Sure an iwasaki for 30 bucks and next week a Zowada for $25.

so you think, it was written "iwasaki" just to see if he could sell them more expensive ?

[Oustoura]

actually the one who sold the razors, he already cleaned them all and not any brand\marks on the blades.

[Phrank]

actually the one who sold the razors, he already cleaned them all and not any brand\marks on the blades.

Well if there are no stamps, then it could be anything, didn't read the title of the thread, "unmarked".

No marks, could be anything....IMO, stay away.

[Oustoura]

i thought the same thing as you. although wanted see other ideas too

[Onno]

This was my idea for a threat as well. I acquired an Iwasaki no stamp a few weeks ago.
I asked the Japanese seller how he was sure it was an Iwasaki? His first respons was: Yes it is Iwasaki. More than enough reason to buy it :-)

I got the razor a week ago. I am not an experienced Japanese straight razor user and honing. Therefore I sent it to someone with extensive experience in honing.
His reply was: it s of hard metal and very "straight". It reminded him of his own Tanfuji razors. A100% good razor. So far so good: I am more interested in a good razor than a labelled razor....

Still wondering: is it an Iwasaki?

I notice that there are three kinds of Iwasaki razors for sale:
1 with a stamp hit in the iron
2 with an etched stamp
3 without stamp
The eBay seller claims that etched stamps can be washed away with mediate cleaning.
If true 2 an 3 are the same
I have heard on another platform that an etch can be washed away.

In a second question about stamped or etched Marks the eBay seller answered:

"Dear sir,
There is no difference stamp and etch. so I am not sure which one is late iwasaki.
Look at the Henckels razors.Some razors has stamp. just like iwasaki"

On https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/iwasaki/
there is not mentioned there are Iwasaki's with etched stamps. There are not enough clues according to the author.

Does anyone here has experience with
- Iwasaki with etch. Does it shave like any Iwasaki?
- is an etch easy to clean?
- are there in history of straight razor manufacturers that switched from "hitting to etching".?

Hope to give some more light on the matter and hoping to get more light!

[Phrank]

Figure it's like the proliferation of stones that have, "Escher" in the listing, when in fact there is no label on the stone at all or any indication that was a Thuringen mined and then labeled "Escher"...it's simply a Thuri, great stone, but not an Escher.

Personally, I've always been suspect of the razors that aren't stamped, that seem to have an acid wash label on them....both mine have tang stamps.

An unmarked Iwasaki is just that, a razor that someone say's is an Iwasaki, personally wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole - you want an Iwasaki, get one with the proper stamp then there's no debate what it providence is and there will be no issue when and if you want to sell it.

[tcrideshd]

like was said, an Iwasaki for that kind of money,,, not likely Tc maybe its a Japanese GD

[sharptonn]

There are late-production Iwasake razor of Swedish steel with an acid-etched type stamp upon them. I have one. It shaves quite good.



As in any of this type stamp, a light bit of buffer could obliterate the stamp.
Still, without the stamp, how would you know what you are buying with only heresy about the stamp?