Thread: Japanese Straights

Well I think many of you who know me know I like Japanese razors and especially NOS ones, well for many years I've been on the look out for a NOS Iwasaki western style straight well finding a good one is hard enough so you can imagine how difficult it is to find a NOS one, well I've actually found one and it's flying in from Japan in the next week or so I'm so chuffed I cannot believe it, photo's will follow but here's a little taster.

岩崎

The legendary blacksmith Mr. Shigeyoshi Iwasaki was born in 1933 and was trained by among others his father Dr. Iwasaki Kousuke that designed Iwasaki Kamisori also a metallurgist famous for classifying Japanese steels i.e. "yellow paper", "white paper", "blue paper" etc.
He also took part in an investigation of ancient swords and knives kept at Syousou-In, a treasure house built in the 8th century.
When he was not in his forge, he teached technical skills and metallurgy theory to young blacksmiths from Sanjo as Shigefusa and Yoshikane

This one is Old and made By Iwasaki him self ! Western Iwasaki razors is Super Rare and very hard to find.*
Many Japanese collectors is also on search for them so for us outside Japan it is even harder to get !
Collector Item*

Steel: Swedish Carbon Steel
Hardness: ca. 64 HRC
Length: 71 mm
Length hight: 20 mm

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Well I think many of you who know me know I like Japanese razors and especially NOS ones, well for many years I've been on the look out for a NOS Iwasaki western style straight well finding a good one is hard enough so you can imagine how difficult it is to find a NOS one, well I've actually found one and it's flying in from Japan in the next week or so I'm so chuffed I cannot believe it, photo's will follow but here's a little taster.

岩崎

The legendary blacksmith Mr. Shigeyoshi Iwasaki was born in 1933 and was trained by among others his father Dr. Iwasaki Kousuke that designed Iwasaki Kamisori also a metallurgist famous for classifying Japanese steels i.e. "yellow paper", "white paper", "blue paper" etc.
He also took part in an investigation of ancient swords and knives kept at Syousou-In, a treasure house built in the 8th century.
When he was not in his forge, he teached technical skills and metallurgy theory to young blacksmiths from Sanjo as Shigefusa and Yoshikane

This one is Old and made By Iwasaki him self ! Western Iwasaki razors is Super Rare and very hard to find.*
Many Japanese collectors is also on search for them so for us outside Japan it is even harder to get !
Collector Item*

Steel: Swedish Carbon Steel
Hardness: ca. 64 HRC
Length: 71 mm
Length hight: 20 mm

Congrats Jamie. These babies are at the very top of the line as shavers.

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Well I think many of you who know me know I like Japanese razors and especially NOS ones, well for many years I've been on the look out for a NOS Iwasaki western style straight well finding a good one is hard enough so you can imagine how difficult it is to find a NOS one, well I've actually found one and it's flying in from Japan in the next week or so I'm so chuffed I cannot believe it, photo's will follow but here's a little taster.

岩崎

The legendary blacksmith Mr. Shigeyoshi Iwasaki was born in 1933 and was trained by among others his father Dr. Iwasaki Kousuke that designed Iwasaki Kamisori also a metallurgist famous for classifying Japanese steels i.e. "yellow paper", "white paper", "blue paper" etc.
He also took part in an investigation of ancient swords and knives kept at Syousou-In, a treasure house built in the 8th century.
When he was not in his forge, he teached technical skills and metallurgy theory to young blacksmiths from Sanjo as Shigefusa and Yoshikane

This one is Old and made By Iwasaki him self ! Western Iwasaki razors is Super Rare and very hard to find.*
Many Japanese collectors is also on search for them so for us outside Japan it is even harder to get !
Collector Item*

Steel: Swedish Carbon Steel
Hardness: ca. 64 HRC
Length: 71 mm
Length hight: 20 mm

Swedish Steel? I would have thought for sure this would have been made of some sort of Japanese steel?

As far as I know, iwasaki was using either rare Japanese steel tamahagane, or Swedish steel that was easier to produce, and as close as it can be from tamahagane. Current production is all Swedish steel.
Nice blade celticcrusader.

Thanks. I know very little about Japanese razors.

I am very happy for you Jamie! If it is there a good place for this shaver, then by you!

Originally Posted by Steel

Swedish Steel? I would have thought for sure this would have been made of some sort of Japanese steel?

There are the ones made from Tamahagane, but Iwasaki modified the Swedish steel so it's is close to Tamahagane in performance

Congratulations Jamie. You have found the gold needle in the haystack. Enjoy.

Congratulations Jamie. Surely the jewel in your crown.

There were a lot of "failures" with the tamahagane razors so Kousuke sensei found a more viable alternative in a particular Swedish steel with little change in final product.
Great looking razor Jamie !