Thread: Nazi Japanese 6/8 Straight

Well in WWII, needless to say, Japan and the Third Reich were allies. Whether that razor would have come out of that period I don't pretend to know. Seems unlikely because of the English in the reverse tang stamping. A handsome piece but I wouldn't own anything with a swastika on it. YMMV.

Received this reply on another forum, which sounds very plausible.

"That may not necessarily be a Nazi-inspired razor.

The helmet shape looks more like a stylized Samuari helmet (Kabuto) to me (although there are design similarities with both).

The swastika symbol is known in Japan as a Manji and has been associated with Japanese Buddhism (as a positive symbol of good luck) in both standard and reversed forms for hundreds of years.

It doesn't follow that any razor imbued with this symbol may have been made with the intention of it being a piece of Nazi propaganda. Indeed there is a picture of a Coca-Cola advert dating from the 1920's contained in this link (along with a brief discussion of the use of the Manji in Japan): The Swastika in Japan

It may not, therefore, be as sinister a razor as it appears to be at first glance."

i couldnt tell you any info but it is a good looking razor ..

I've got exactly the same razor, and to be honest I believe it has nothing to do with nazi. Most likely it was manufactured after WWII and it is stupid to write on nazi razor "for barber's use" in English and not German ..

I agree Traskrom. I don't think it has Nazi origins or there would be nothing on there that didn't reflect the times. There'd be an eagle, Swastika or say something like 'fuhrer' on it. I still think it's a lovely, interesting razor and I'm proud to have it in my collection.

Yes, that is probably the best answer you are going to get. I was wondering about the helmet also not being a direct copy of the German Stahlhelm. Seems logical enough to me.

Bob

I doubt it has anything to do with anything Nazi. A Samurai helmet for sure and a good luck Swastika.

It is quite common to find them in other situations

Search "Shorinji Kempo" and you will find many of them from Japan

Definitely a Japanese helmet and Buddist good luck symbol!


Mike

The earliest known object with swastika-motifs is a bird from the tusk of a mammoth from the paleolithic settlement of Mezine, Ukraine dated to 10,000 BCE.