Thread: Customized Or Butchered 'That is the Question'

Hi All,

Well a few days ago I got three razors in from a FleaBay seller out of Japan, I knew that this one had been 'Customized' or 'Butchered' depending on your point of view but I'd never honed 'this style' of a Frameback and it really wasn't that expensive. I'd shaved with one but I Would Never Have Considered Honing it; you can see it here;
Straight Razor Place - The Saga of a Japanese Straight Razor's Long Journey Home From the Battle Field of Iwo Jima

Once in hand, this razor was apparently dropped and shortened + the 'customizing' of the shank and scales at that end. The toe isn't very smoothly finished but a little 1K and 2K sandpaper + some Mothers will take care of that.

Anyway I'd purchased the three razors from the same seller and he combined the shipping from $6 EA to $8 total shipping which brought the cost of the entire transaction to $66.50

The blade measures about 11-12 thousandths and honed up nice. I just gave it a full shave test and got a surprisingly nice CCC shave.

I stumbled upon some very faint etching on the face of the blade and it says:

HATANAKA CO

On the Front of the Shank I read;

COLUMBIA
also No 8

On the Back of the shank I read;
FOR BARBERS USE
ESTABLISH. 1919

Well it is a Very Nice Shaver But Not A Looker/at least in my humble opinion; Any thoughts out there Gents?

Here's some pics of the 'customized' razor and the others that came with it;



Second Razor;



Third Razor;