Thread: Behold The Glory...

I was surfing during my break, looking at Japanese natural stone shops online, and I found one with a gallery of kamisori and Japanese made straight razors they used to (USED TO!!!!!) have in stock. I'm a huge fan of Japanese made straight razors--the few I have are without exception well made, with great steel and fantastic edges.

Anyway, I was poking around and I found this:






Yeah folks, that's an Iwasaki straight razor...MADE OF TAMAHAGANE.

Sweet Jebus, I want one of these.

In fact, it just became my new mission in life.

I WILL get one before I die.

(BTW, If you know where to get one, let me know...I will make it worth your while.)

good luck my friend... from the little I know about this stuff, you will need it. I'll keep a weather eye on the horizon for you. I hope you get one!

Originally Posted by Del1r1um

good luck my friend... from the little I know about this stuff, you will need it. I'll keep a weather eye on the horizon for you. I hope you get one!

Don't I know it...I just found where someone sold one (this one?) on Yahoo auction in 2008...but the price isn't listed.

I figure at LEAST 2 grand. 3?

Man.

The other razors they have on the gallery are also awesome. Another tamahagane, made by someone I haven't heard of...and of course the sweetest selection of Kamisori ever.

All sold out, of course.

Jim, do tell. Where is this website?

that looks amazing.

Old Japanese proverb, "it is better to want than to have". Does that make us feel better?

You're killin' me Jim. First the 90000 now this .....

Jim nice razor . My questions is why so expensive? what makes them so special?Please i don't know anything about them that is why i am asking such silly question.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Jim nice razor . My questions is why so expensive? what makes them so special?Please i don't know anything about them that is why i am asking such silly question.

Sham, if I may, the guy who made them is dead. The type of steel is legendary and supposedly some of the best. IIRC made in small batches and everything is forged and made by hand. .... if I'm not mistaken.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Jim nice razor . My questions is why so expensive? what makes them so special?Please i don't know anything about them that is why i am asking such silly question.

Sham, Jimmy told you right--the maker, Iwasaki, is/was a legendary smith. He made Japanese swords, razors, knives...and they are all very very highly regarded. I have actually never seen confirmation that he's dead (you can tell, actually, by the way people refer to the deceased in Japanese) , but I do believe he's too old to continue making razors. He does have a successor, and I am working on a plan to visit the forge and meet him...some day.

And yeah, Jimmy, it's all hand forged, out of the very best steel produced in Japan...Tamahagane is "ball" or "jewel" steel, and it is usually reserved for making katana. O_S was selling an Iwasaki Tamahagane recently...

The reason I think this one is probably worth MORE than the kamisori is simply rarity--this is only the 4th Iwasaki straight razor I've seen any evidence of; there are tons of Iwasaki kamisori. So this, the tamahagane straight razor, is like finding a white crow with a peackock tail...