1 How do I know if a razor is in fact an Iwasaki
2 If it is an Iwasaki how do I know if it's Tamahagane or Swedish steel?
3 Is an Iwasaki Tokiwa Tamahagane or Swedish steel?
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1 How do I know if a razor is in fact an Iwasaki
2 If it is an Iwasaki how do I know if it's Tamahagane or Swedish steel?
3 Is an Iwasaki Tokiwa Tamahagane or Swedish steel?
If it looks like the picture in post 20 (http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...amisori-2.html) you have a winner. If the Tokiwa is Tamahagane it will certainly have the Tamahagane mark.
If it's a Tamahagane the price will give that away.
What's the context here? Is there a blade you think is an iwasaki that a seller does not know? Or do you want to verify someone selling an iwasaki is indeed the real deal? I have 2 iwasaki kamisori and 2 western style, 2 of them carbon steel and 2 tamahagane. A little research and you'll recognize the tamahagane Kanji. The iwasaki mark is also easily identified. Here's a nos iwasaki tamahagane kamisori for reference.
Attachment 226457
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Making sure I don't get screwed on a razor purchase as I'm uneducated in reading kanji. Since they're expensive I don't want to fork over cash for a Iwasaki that's Swedish when I'm told it's tamahagane an I don't want to purchase another brand Japanese razor an get told it's an Iwasaki just wanna get what I paid for only way to do that is to educate myself with help from someone that has the knowledge
There are two Iwasakis on eBay that are 2100$ an 2400$ which is a lot more than I wanna pay exspecially not knowing, but if they are real then I have a reference when trying to purchase one. I've found one that is 700$ in a local shop that is supposed to be Iawasaki an Tamahagane an 2 others that are elsewhere for 300$ An I would like to be educated before making a stupid purchase.
I know for a fact one of the ones on ebay is real ;)
Yes tamahagane western style ones will run that high. The kamisori ones can usually be around half as much, the one I posted above was $850 NOS. I doubt there are many fakes out there, but it's definitely a good idea to know what you're looking at before spending big money.
RARE Shave Ready Tamahagane Iwasaki J apanese Straight Razor D 165 | eBay
This one is a good source for looking at what the real deal looks like, and it's all labeled in english. I wouldn't recommend buying that one though, it has a lot of wear for the price.
Oh I know they're worth that I just don't know if I can bring myself to spend that much on one razor no matter how special. I mean that's half down on a Guncrafter Industries .45/.50 combo 1911.
That's why I wanted to be able to identify them so I could find that deal of a life time or just a better deal. Besides my girlfriend might tell the razors is my new girlfriend if I bought a razor at that price believe me I've explained how special that razor is an she keeps flashing murder in her eyes an she may just use the razor.
Have any of you guys heard of the Tokiwa an if so what can you tell me about them? Thank you in advance.
Oh I know they're worth that I just don't know if I can bring myself to spend that much on one razor no matter how special. I mean that's half down on a Guncrafter Industries .45/.50 combo 1911.
That's why I wanted to be able to identify them so I could find that deal of a life time or just a better deal. Besides my girlfriend might tell the razors is my new girlfriend if I bought a razor at that price believe me I've explained how special that razor is an she keeps flashing murder in her eyes an she may just use the razor.
Have any of you guys heard of the Tokiwa an if so what can you tell me about them? Thank you in advance.
To be completely honest, I have thousands and thousands of dollars invested. Almost all the main stream top shelf razor brands are in my collection. The thing I've learned is that we always chase a "better" or "best" but really once you get into the top tier of quality the differences are so minute that only a seasoned pro could tell the differences. My absolute favorite razor is a 9/8+ sc133 steel custom that bruno made for me. It shaves so smooth with so little effort. And it was a fraction of the price of an iwasaki. Just food for thought. Just know that if an iwasaki pops up on ebay I will see it, and if the price is right I will buy it. Ones in the mail now :)
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on eBay the prices of the Tamahagane western Iwasaki are x2 or more what they go for in Japan.
Those guys know what there are buyers here and mark up accordingly.
KsStraightShaver are you buying this razor as a piece of art, never to be used, collectors item or are you buying it to use it?
The swedish ones costs about 300 or so and I think thats not excessive in any way since its handmade and very high quality, and its a one man show and they have to make a living.
but 2 grand???
If you drop this razor on a tile its toast. Also I question the actual difference in performance between the tamahagane and the swedish steel, if the swedish steel selected was a good one to begin with it will be among the purest (and most consistent on the planet from batch to batch). So whats to improve here? These are simple carbon steels. They are not 3:rd gen powder stainless hss.
btw My friend got an almost new SVI open gun for 2k euro. And it has zero MIM nor cast parts! Its a piece of art. And now a similar gun goes for like 5-7k euro... definitely not worth it.
2 grand buys a lot of other nice things.
I have a Tokiwa Iwasaki among my Japanese straights. It shaves fine but not better than the others. Third from the left on the foto.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...8099d6fd99.jpg
Now your just showing off Prodigy! Lol , but what you say is true, chasing the ever elusive perfect shave can be done for a lot less, I have some customs that cost 3 times what I have in most of my Bruno blades and my favorite shaver that never fails to give a great edge is a Bruno and my sharpest razor that takes an edge as far as you want to go is a 20$ Kinfolks, so never think cost determines Qualty, but if I want something I,ll pay for it, I mean have you priced any of TZ,s Timahagane razors,? So if it's what you want and that's what the price is, go for it. Tc
Usually when you mass produce stuff you have the HT temps nailed down. all are the same, but when its 1 at a time and coal/gas furnace it gets whatever you get imo. personally I would not trust any maker that uses gas or coal furncace because i very well know if your'e 10-20 deg C off its not getting hardened to its full potential. And pretty anyone with access to the tt-table (time-temperature) for that steel will know this. I regard all coal/gas forgers/heat treaters as hacks but thats just me. :) But I can back this up with real science. so can you.
I'm willing to bet that a uddeholm aeb-l hardened to 60-62hrc blade will be more edgeholding than any "swedish steel"(whatever that may be)/tamahagane jap in the world. But hey wtf do I know. But I have read the good books though. :)
I do not see how that post is related to the topic?
But if you care to know, Iwasaki is nationally recognized in Japan for his metal-smith knowledge and abilities.
Their so called Swedish Steel is modified after they get it from the factory to be close to properties to Tamahagane.
Finally @60-62 AEB-L may not hold edge better than Tamahagane @65-67. There are not many AEB-L razors floating around to make a comparison.
Hacks huh? Maybe your making better razors than Iwasaki, I'd say prove it. Tc
The Iawaski with the Swedish steel is rockwell 64 all his razors were Rockwell tested it's printed on the razor case 812.
http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/w...o.png~original
http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/w...3.jpg~original
I think you guys are misunderstanding me I don't plan on Buying the ones on eBay I wouldn't pay that much for this particular type of razor I was just using them as a reference for the kanji they are works of art an made by a master in his craft but that's a lot when I know there are deals out there that can be had. Now if they were a complete custom maybe.
An Tonybee the guncrafters industries are a custom built 1911 they are incredible works of art an they are dual caliber .45acp an .50gi you can get one at about 3k but they go up from there an that's not a bad price considering you can go to any other custom 1911 maker an they start at 2500 an go up from there for a single caliber.
There's a tamahagane one that just listed. It's in very nice condition and considerably cheaper than all the others currently listed. I want it, but need to cut back on my buying.
Japanese Straight Razor Iwasaki Tamahagane Shave Ready | eBay
No not at that price it won't. If it's the real deal. Tc
I agree ., I,m nit doubting authenticity. Just covering my as, cause I don't have the experience to know the different marks, if I wanted one that would have come home for that price. Tc
I geuss what i wa trying to say that from a "use" perspective these razors might be over-rated, from an "art" perspective anything goes obviously.
I know very well iwaskis reputation and i got an iwasaki myself (beased solely on that reputation), "swedish steel", and so far i find it "chippy". It chipped somewhere between entering my leather/microfiber sheath and exiting it. I was expecting quite a bit more to be honest. But I am not surprised though, or even disappointed. i still like the razor, and its very well executed.
i knew it was handmade, and i pretty much expected to either get a really good one or maybe a not so good one (according to my preferences).
What I was trying to say was that when coal/gas hardening its very easy to over or undershoot the HT. and then the steel is suboptimal. No matter how good the maker is.
I have several other handmade japanese kitchen knives. And they are pretty much all gas forged and gas HT'd and a few show brittle behaviour, too brittle for that steel at that claimed hardness. And then I have a few with "lesser regarded steel" but mass produced, and they are not brittle.
All this is of course just IMO since ones acceptable limit of brittleness/toughness is personal. But my observation is that the handmade/boutique jap stuff is more brittle than the mass produced jap stuff.
And therefore i personally don't regard them as "good" as maybe the rest of you do.
I dont think there is a better or worse, just different. And yes i will make a different razor when I get my kanthal oven. I prioritize toughness over hardness. There is no magical steel but some are better for me at least than others. And i will make my razors out of those steels. There will be no short cuts regarding the HT procedure, I can tell you that. Because this is the most important part.
I have had several Swedish steel Western Iwasaki and several Tamahagane ones, and they have been great. Now the reason for the chippiness of yours may be the steel but also could be stones. In any case @ 65-67 HRC Iwasaki will produce longer lasting edge than AEB-L @ 60-62
Question, what does the 50 means? I found a stamp with a 50 in it.
Here you go http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...9ea89e9719.jpg
Let me know what you think?
Ok, I read somewhere the m is less hardend. So was wondering if anyone knew. :)
I can see the Iwasaki stamp on this Western Iwasaki Kamisori, but in looking at the other marks, I'm wondering if this Kami is also Tamahagane.
This is the best pic I have so far:
Attachment 269978
Just trying to keep it in the right lane Tom, can see Stefan's little green light on, and hoping someone in this old thread will be in the know.....:)