Tanifuji question

I've been kicking the idea of another straight razor (who here isn't :rofl2:). I was especially interested in a Japanese razor made by Tanifuji.

I been wetshaving for years now and have seen plenty of items misrepresented/mislabeled when being sold. Like Gillette Slims being sold as Fatboys.

Now to get to my question, I've seen some Tanifuji razors bearing his name, and other razors being sold as Tanifuji but not saying it anywhere on the blade. I know he has a stamp, but some of these razors do not have his stamp either.

I suppose he made razors for different brands. Is there a list of known razors brands that were made by Tanifuji? Or what should I look for if looking to acquire one?

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Originally Posted by azgabe

I've been kicking the idea of another straight razor (who here isn't :rofl2:). I was especially interested in a Japanese razor made by Tanifuji.

I been wetshaving for years now and have seen plenty of items misrepresented/mislabeled when being sold. Like Gillette Slims being sold as Fatboys.

Now to get to my question, I've seen some Tanifuji razors bearing his name, and other razors being sold as Tanifuji but not saying it anywhere on the blade. I know he has a stamp, but some of these razors do not have his stamp either.

I suppose he made razors for different brands. Is there a list of known razors brands that were made by Tanifuji? Or what should I look for if looking to acquire one?

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Scroll through this link you will find out everything you ever want to know about Tanifuji including all his makers marks and brands. I own a few and they are without doubt some of the best Japanese razors ever produced.

https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/...fuji-fukutaro/

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Originally Posted by celticcrusader

they are without doubt some of the best Japanese razors ever produced.

https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/...fuji-fukutaro/

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I'll second that!

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Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Scroll through this link you will find out everything you ever want to know about Tanifuji including all his makers marks and brands. I own a few and they are without doubt some of the best Japanese razors ever produced.

https://historyrazors.wordpress.com/...fuji-fukutaro/

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Thank you. Definitely some good information.

Several have passed thru my shop. They are exceptionally good razors.
He worked for several factories and also had his own trademark.
This is a partial list of Tanifuji makes:
Cape – Cape Kennedy
Chest
Club
Favorit(e)
Harthy/Gold Harthy - maybe
King Pelichan (is a Nirichi – not sure if Tanifuji)
Lucky 7
Manaslu (is a Nirichi – not sure if Tanifuji)
Maxflight/Spaulding
Nichiri – NRK
Perfectworks
Rikishia
Rifuto
Robuso
Spaulding
Three Dollar
Wogen – Yamamoto Co Ltd

I do not speak/read Japanese, but his "chop" ie trademark is distinctive:

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Originally Posted by IndependenceRazor1

Several have passed thru my shop. They are exceptionally good razors.
He worked for several factories and also had his own trademark.
This is a partial list of Tanifuji makes:
Cape – Cape Kennedy
Chest
Club
Favorit(e)
Harthy/Gold Harthy - maybe
King Pelichan (is a Nirichi – not sure if Tanifuji)
Lucky 7
Manaslu (is a Nirichi – not sure if Tanifuji)
Maxflight/Spaulding
Nichiri – NRK
Perfectworks
Rikishia
Rifuto
Robuso
Spaulding
Three Dollar
Wogen – Yamamoto Co Ltd

I do not speak/read Japanese, but his "chop" ie trademark is distinctive:

Attachment 295234

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So are all of these razors made by Tanifuji? For example if I find a Robuso (or any other from the list) without his mark, it is safe to assume it was me made by him?

Every Japanese razor I own is a great razor. I have a couple that are considered Tanifuji, one being a Ten Star. And those are great too. Any Japanes in good condition is likely to knock it out of the park. I saw Manaslu mentioned above, a great razor. But I had not known of it being a a Tanifuji.

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Originally Posted by azgabe

So are all of these razors made by Tanifuji? For example if I find a Robuso (or any other from the list) without his mark, it is safe to assume it was me made by him?

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Robuso is a difficult issue, because there are made in Japan ones that are most likely Tanifuji - and made in Germany razors that are definitely not Tanifuji.

If a razor does not bear his name or mark, but says "For Barber's Use" on the back of the tang, it is most likely a Tanifuji.
I am not a collector or expert in Japanese razors.
There are members of this forum who can answer this better than I can.

https://straightrazorpalace.com/razo...8-barbers.html :w

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Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Perfect Works Club Razor 2000

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Thanks a lot. :D

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Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Every Japanese razor I own is a great razor. I have a couple that are considered Tanifuji, one being a Ten Star. And those are great too. Any Japanes in good condition is likely to knock it out of the park. I saw Manaslu mentioned above, a great razor. But I had not known of it being a a Tanifuji.

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Manaslu razors were wonderfully made but not by Tanifuji as far as I know. I own a Manaslu 300 which shaves spectacularly well. :)

And, I concur that it's difficult to find fault with just about any Japanese vintage razor make. They perfected the art for sure!

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Originally Posted by ischiapp

Thanks a lot. :D

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I noticed that coincidence. Great pick up. I hope you enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Every Japanese razor I own is a great razor. I have a couple that are considered Tanifuji, one being a Ten Star. And those are great too. Any Japanes in good condition is likely to knock it out of the park. I saw Manaslu mentioned above, a great razor. But I had not known of it being a a Tanifuji.

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Nichiri was a different company.

Here is a list of known Tanifuji made razors

CAPE, Command, Spalding、MaxFli、FAVORIT、Wogen、BA'BA、HOLCO、AIRI, KONIG、TF.HAIROP、Rikishia、RITUKY RAZOR、CLUB RAZOR, TEN STAR, HELMAN, KINTAKA, BULLDOG, Tokiwa, Three DoLL , UGA, SOBO, IWASAKI T, King Razor, Gold Harty

I just bought a Hillman 880 supreme that doesn't have his mark or name but has inscription for barbers use first quality could it be a Tanifuji ?

I just looked at a pic of Hillman 880 supreme. That razor has stabilizers. As far as I know Tanifuji razors dont have them so just by the looks I would say no.
Tanifuji made a Helman as Mainaman mentioned in his post.

So....Can I assume this is an Iwasaki Tokiwa by Tanfuji? WITH a double-stabilizer? Or what? :shrug:
Thanks in advance! :)



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for reference, here is my Helman... as you can see, no stabilizers..
i also hae a hillman somewhere ant fins it.. but will post pics as soon as i do. I can tell you that the hillman does not look or feel like a tanifuji at all, nor fdoes it have any tanifuji logo...

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As I said above, I have never seen a Tanifuji name stamped on a razor with stabilizers. If there is one hopefully somebody can post a picture or reference.

Perhaps it has been reground and the extra stabilizer added? I will investigate that. Might be what I have?

i have like 8 or 10 Tanifujis and a bunch more have been in my hands... never seen one with stabilizers... i have even had razors made by perfectworks like Rinnets that you compare with tanifuji and they are just exactly like them, same scales, same weight, grind, edge retention, same feel on the hones and on the shave... in all accounts are Tanifujis to my eyes, but stamp is not there... nor have I seen any examples of a Rinnet with a tanifuji Logo...

it is believed that Perfectworks was Tanifuji's factory at least for some time, but i havent seen proof that perfectworks was ONLY owned by him, or itf it was ever sol.. what we have proof is that perfect works also produced razors for other brands. So... can Imake the statement "this Rinnet designed or made by Tanifuji for sure"? ... answer is NO.
Could my Rinnet have been designed by Tanifuji under contrat? hell yeah!.. but also could be just Perfectworks factory made after it was sold, or Tanifuji had passed or something like that... they just learned how to do this model and then made it under a different name or as a contract for a different reseller...

There are some other models like Club 1000, 2000 and 3000 that you can see them with the logo of Tanifuji OR with the logo of Perfectworks, and in the boxes there is the "Tanifuji" name or not. Those create some disagreement in the community as if they were all made by Tanifuji or not...

my position about that is that I simply dont think Tanifuji would stamp his name on a razor designed by someone else... and if there is for example a Club 3000 with his stamp, that means he designed the razor. does the stamp means that he made the razor personally or nor? or does the perfectworks stamp means it was an operator and not him? again no evidence of that, but the CLUB 1k, 2k, and 3k models were designed by him ... so for me, those models are tanifuji.

Come on guys... maybe Ralf Aust makes all his razors (single man company) but do you think Jose Montserrat Pou made all the Fillys out there (generation 1 and 2 i mean, we know for Gen 3 he was there no more)...
or that every razor with stamp of a name was made uniquely buy the guy with that stamp? What we appreciate is the steel type and treatment used, the design and balance, the grind, scales material, attention to details, etc... and in the case of those Clubs this came from the master...

on the other hand I love my Rinnet and it looks exactly like any other Tanifuji blade, and has the perfectworks stamps and has same scales and all of that, i have never seen a Rinnet with tanifuji stamps or tanifuji in the box, so i cannot call that razor a tanifuji... no matter how much i loe it and how much it looks and perform as one...

last but not least.. i have seen several models of Japanese razors with the text "For barbers" or "for babers use" and "best quality" oir "First quality" or combinations of those in the stamps, from several different brands.... Alas, this cannot be taken as an indication that razor was made by tanifuji.


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cheers!

Gabe

Well -said, Gabe. Someone in Japan made razors. Just as complicated as Sheffield and American makers.
Like it or not, it came from SOMEWHERE! :)