Thread: What is your most rare straight razor?

Here are three razors I believe are rare... but I’m not sure 100% and really would like to hear from the experts on this forum. The razor with the gold crown motif is a recent purchase from a older late 80’s couple trying to get enough money for them to move back to Sweden... which is where they were before they moved to Vermont back in the late 40’s. The old man said he was told to contact me to get a fair price on his great...great...grandfathers personal razor that he had used as a barber and blacksmith. He said that he was told by his father that his g8g8grandfather purchased it estimated time early 1800’s. I regret not getting his name... and I hope someone will be able to tell me more about this amazing razor. I hope the pictures are clear enough to see



I hope I can upload my pictures...if not I will try later.

All looks like familiar brands...can you post what the tang stamp says? The one with the crown made me think Heljestrand (Swedish razor), but the shape of the place says Sheffield to me.

Post what the stamps on the tangs say....:-)

Originally Posted by CoreyW

I know what the kanji means. Basically states it's hand forged with hitachi steel. Don't know the maker. Tang has hammer marks. The steel is very hard and the grind is very thin. I'll take it over my iwasaki any day.

Once of my best shavers and I haven't come across another one like it. Something tells me there is something special about it, and not to let it go.

Anything on the other side of the tang?

Contract razor for A. M. Gardner Hardware Co.


I think it's ground by ERN especially since it says made in Germany.

ERN did a lot of contract grinding and it has that signature very thin grind that ERN was famous for.

If you lean your thumbnail into the edge and run it up and down you can see the blade flex. Probably made after the production of the Hexe machine in 1893.
It's a great shaver and earns a place in my regular rotation.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Anything on the other side of the tang?

Says hand forged on the scales, and something about clear autumn water.

Originally Posted by CoreyW

Says hand forged on the scales, and something about clear autumn water.

Top one is an Iwasaki, not rare, but one of the most coveted Japanese razors available. Only thing better is if it was a Iwasaki Tamahagane razor - then you'd be sitting on a gold mine.

But that is a great score right there....do some searches on Iwasaki razors, you'll be quite pleased with what you find - congrats!!

Originally Posted by JadeTheBlade

...The razor with the gold crown motif is a recent purchase from a older late 80’s couple trying to get enough money for them to move back to Sweden... which is where they were before they moved to Vermont back in the late 40’s. The old man said he was told to contact me to get a fair price on his great...great...grandfathers personal razor that he had used as a barber and blacksmith. He said that he was told by his father that his g8g8grandfather purchased it estimated time early 1800’s...

The shape looks about right for that time period I think. Looks like pre 1840s to me.

Yeah I've posted the Iwasaki on ebay for $1. IMO. A good razor but nothing super special considering I have many razors.

But the bottom is the rare one. Says hand forged in yasuki steel, tank has hammer markings, although it's polished so hard to see. Super thin. Super hard steel.

Originally Posted by CoreyW

Yeah I've posted the Iwasaki on ebay for $1. IMO. A good razor but nothing super special considering I have many razors.

But the bottom is the rare one. Says hand forged in yasuki steel, tank has hammer markings, although it's polished so hard to see. Super thin. Super hard steel.

There are quite a few of the, "hand forged" Japanese razors out there, thought at first it might be a Tamako YSK Tamahagane masa steel, hand forged razor, but markings don't match up.

Here's one I have:

https://sharprazorpalace.com/razor-c...ml#post1695406

Again, not that rare, and while the Tamako YSK razor is very nice, doesn't really compare to an Iwasaki in my opinion, Iwasaki is "next level"....

Originally Posted by Phrank

There are quite a few of the, "hand forged" Japanese razors out there, thought at first it might be a Tamako YSK Tamahagane masa steel, hand forged razor, but markings don't match up.

Here's one I have:

https://sharprazorpalace.com/razor-c...ml#post1695406

Again, not that rare, and while the Tamako YSK razor is very nice, doesn't really compare to an Iwasaki in my opinion, Iwasaki is "next level"....

The razor you have shown is completely different from the one I have shown. I've had the opportunity to own many razors. Iwasaki is a good razor. But doesn't blow me away like this one.