Quote Originally Posted by Kees View Post
The very expensive ones are made of tamahagane steel. Producing steel from iron sand is very labour-intensive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamahagane

I never owned a tamahagane razor so cannot comment on its virtues.
I also have no experience with tamahagane, but going by human nature it goes for higher prices because it is a more exclusive material that requires, as you said, more labour by skilled craftsmen.

Iwasaki razors are expensive because they are collectors items, made by men with quite the reputation.

So exclusivity + exclusivity = big bucks.

Regards,
Pieter