Thread: Tamahagane nihon kamisori

You can always offer a price you feel is realistic, worse they can say is No.

Around 12-13 years ago when I inquired about getting an Iwasaki in tamahagne while he was still making them I was quoted a low 3 figure price. Unfortunately his orders among his dedicated collectors in Japan were such that there was no chance to get one at any price.

Originally Posted by 32t

The people that pay those sort of prices have so much money they don't know what to do with it. To them$4000 is the same as $20 to you and I.

We really need to meet some of those people don't we

Originally Posted by etorix

got a link to the auction?

one justification for that kind of money is the actual maker



they are still being made, tho they dont turn out many in tamahagane, but then they never did

anything tamahagane by a named master commands a premium, if its by Kousuki Iwasaki then id like a pic

btw, tamahagane razors by other smiths exist and can still be got

I'm gonna start making damascus(pattern welded for the purists) billets again and take it from there.

Made a couple dagger sized pieces but they worked out very expensive to produce but a 500 to 700 layer piece large enough for a kamisori is not too expensive.

Unfortunately I can't make real tamahagane(right from a tatar) but the damascus is much easier.

The kamisori do tend to dish up when you harden them though.


John

I have a tamahagane kamisori in size 2, which I think is 60mm. It was made by Shigeyoshi Iwasaki quite a while ago and it's an amazing razor. At the time I bought it from a Japanese collector/dealer the price was roughly in line with the best custom makers so I felt that, while it was expensive, it wasn't crazy expensive. I can see how the price could get pretty elevated if the razor was one generation older, at least to a collector.

The main issue is that the supply of tamahagane has been traditionally dominated by the swordsmiths, who have first, middle and last call over any tamahagane produced by the Shimane smelter. If someone was not part of the sword-tradition they would have to wait until fortune smiled upon them and some was made available. They would also most likely be required to be at the very top of their own guild hierarchy to be eligible for any at all and probably were very good friends with a very good swordsmith to get any of quality. That process would not involve any unethical or monetary variables. It's very interesting how it works. The poorest swordsmith will not get tamahagane of the highest quality and often have to learn to smelt that again to improve it. This restriction also applies to the toolmakers, knifemakers, anyone working in steel or edged crafts.

i dont think obtaining tamahagane was a issue for Shigeyoshi's dad Kousuki Iwasaki

he had an extensive collection of small pieces from many tatara runs

probably for his metallurgy research ..

and according to the reports of visits to the forge, a lot still exists

i think its more likely that Ryuichi Mizuouchi, who is in charge now, prolly doesnt want to bother with it

Originally Posted by etorix

i dont think obtaining tamahagane was a issue for Shigeyoshi's dad Kousuki Iwasaki

he had an extensive collection of small pieces from many tatara runs

probably for his metallurgy research ..

and according to the reports of visits to the forge, a lot still exists

i think its more likely that Ryuichi Mizuouchi, who is in charge now, prolly doesnt want to bother with it

Here are a few reasons for not making tamahagane razors anymore.

Right now tamahagane is not of the same quality as it used to be, and so it is not suitable for razor.
Most of the current production goes for swerds and rest for knives. Apparently it is illegal to use Tamahagane for anything that is not a sword in Japan now, so even knives made from it are shaped like sword/tanto etc.

I will find out if Iwasaki has a special permit to use Tamahagane despite all those laws.

heh, i see it now, 4,400 dollars, japanippon [Tamahagane Honsha]

maybe NOS, not current-production ..

but nothing to indicate which Iwasaki produced it

Originally Posted by etorix

heh, i see it now, 4,400 dollars, japanippon [Tamahagane Honsha]

maybe NOS, not current-production ..

but nothing to indicate which Iwasaki produced it

For sure any Tamahagane Iwasaki razor is old stock,
Iwsaki razors were made only byShigeyoshi Iwasaki and now Mizouchi San, as Iwasaki is very old and does not make razors. The father Kousuke Iwasaki was engineer and metallurgist but never involved in razor making.
Kousuke Iwasaki was interested in steel properties and such, he came up with the current formulation of the steel used in Iwasaki razors as well by knife smiths in Sanjo. Shigeyoshi Iwasaki and some other smiths apprenticed under Kousuke Iwasaki when they started to make thir famous Tamahagne Razors Kamisori and western. By the way western Tamahagane Iwasaki is one of the finest razors , shave like a dream. I am sure the kamisori are the same.