Thread: Iwasaki and Tamahagane

I asked Iwasaki san about "Tamahagane".
He came back with 2 chunks of raw "Tamahagane".

Ancient and New Tamahagane

He said:"The bigger one is Tamahagane made now by The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords ." "It is made every year by Hitachi-Metals by old methods."
"The small one is an ancient Tamahagane made by a Tatara master. Not all ancient Tamahagane are top class. Before modern steel came to Japan in Meiji period (1868-1912) there have been many ancient Tatara places. These Tatara places has been named by the masters who made the Tamahagane. I have a stock of excellent and famous masters and I use these for my razors."


I had a chance to make photos of his very special ancient Tamahagane:

Ancient Tamahagene Stock

Near to this stock I saw some other steel:

Hocho Tetsu

I asked what it is.
The answer was it is Hocho Tetsu and it is the mild or soft steel made by the Tatara method. It has been used to make latticework in a window of an old storehouse. The name of these storehouse is "Kura" and you can see it at google picture.　Storehouses which have been build before the Meiji period have these Hocho Tetsu.
These can be used as Jigane (clad) or you can enrich it with carbon to make carbon steel and it will be the same as Tamahagane.

I found also a box with the letters The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords Tatara Tamahagane:

The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords Tatara Tamahagane Box
The Tamahagane made now comes in this box to the blacksmith.

When I made the tour of his workshop I found a bigger charcoal furnace; far to big for razors.
It was a furnace to make a Tamahagane bar from the chunk of raw Tamahagane by hammering and folding to get rid of the non melting impurities.

Charcoal Furnace to Purify Tamahagane I asked Iwasaki san and Mizouchi san if they are making Tamahagane razors now.
The answer was yes!
I asked if they are for sale?
The answer was no!
I did not ask further.
I do not know where the new made Tamahagane razors go.
Maybe to museum or to inner circle.

I got a look at old Tamahagane western razors too:

Old Tmahagane Western Razors with Defects These are all Tamahagane razors with defects which did not leave the workshop but too good to go to trash. The steel of these razors can be recycled said Iwasaki san.

I hope my readers have enjoyed to see Tamahagane.


To moderator(s)
I do not know if it is the best place to post. But I posted all my blogs here so be patient with me.

Hello DrNaka, thanks very much for the informative and highly interesting post. I've moved it to the razors forum.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Hello DrNaka, thanks very much for the informative and highly interesting post. I've moved it to the razors forum.

Thank you.

Thank you Dr. Naka
This was very imformative and your photos are excellent. well done. Alx

Originally Posted by alx

Thank you Dr. Naka
This was very imformative and your photos are excellent. well done. Alx

I think I could answer to your questions you made to me.

Domo-arigato-gozimashta sensei Nakamura-san.
Thank you very much. Your questions to the master blacksmith Iwasaki-san and his replys are very complete and I have learned a great deal because of your reporting and you blog. Best regards, Alx

Thanks.
The 'not for sale' answer means they are not for sale to you
People with the right connections could probably order / buy one.

My impression is that the tamahagane-razor output mostly went to 'Standing Order' from various dealers

and they were always behind on those orders ...

DrNaka kudasai: i have question about Shigeyoshi Iwasaki's father, Mr. Kousuke Iwasaki and steel development in Japan

on IWASAKI RAZOR Japanese Style Razor 45mm Sweden Steel Blade

page there is brief mention:

He graduated two major bachelor and master degrees for just wanted to be true his dream to make Japanese sword (Tamahagane blade).

He also became apprentice for Japanese sword blacksmith and Japanese sword whet master.

Then he established Sanjo Seisakujo which makes world famous Iwasaki Razor. He had kept on research steel for blade, and he has influenced a lot to Sanjo steel industry in Nigata, Japan, and has also influenced to steel industry in Japan a lot.

particularly "and has also influenced to steel industry in Japan"

im sure ive seen other references in more detail, cant find now tho

I very highly doubt you will get an answer, unless someone else on SRP is knowledgable on the subject. This thread is from 2011, which was the last year the Dr. was active on the forum.