Thread: Tosuke Japanese Straight Razor

Well this is a link to Kosuke Iwasaki razors. It looks like you have to order a month in advance. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those puppies.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Well this is a link to Kosuke Iwasaki razors. It looks like you have to order a month in advance. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those puppies.

If you have any luck... lemme know. I offered them 2x the asking price, and still couldn't get them to respond to emails - or stop hanging up on me when they answered the phone and realized I could only speak english

If you are really serious about buying one of those, I could ask a friend in Japan to act as an intermediary. He speaks, reads and write Japanese, so he should be able to get through.

If Bruno's friend can't get it I have no doubt my contact in japan can for sure. You need to have someone check because sometimes these sites are old and the items are no longer available. It just seems like alot of money for what looks like the Tosuke razor. It says swedish steel so I don't know whats so special about it. It looks kind of like a leap of faith based on an advertisement eh?

Shigeyoshi Iwasaki is a licensed sword maker in Japan. He is listed in books and other sites. The level of craftsmanship in this razor must be amazing.

The guy who makes the Tosuke razor is a highly skilled swordmaker also and they cost a fraction of the price. So I still say what's so special about these? Actually there is another family who are probably the #1 swordmakers in japan who do traditional straights also. When I was doing research on the Tosuke I stumbled on their site but I don't remember the name or their site. Their straights go for about $400 and they have to be ordered years in advance. They only do a run of straights every couple of years and their stuff is all spoken for way in advance.

I know that the Japanese government only allows a certain number of swords to be made per year. I wonder if that holds true for all Japanese steel bladed instruments thus the reason why there would be a long delay in some of these productions.

Originally Posted by steve

I know that the Japanese government only allows a certain number of swords to be made per year. I wonder if that holds true for all Japanese steel bladed instruments thus the reason why there would be a long delay in some of these productions.

Considering the vast number of Japanese kitchen knives produced annually, it's likely a little more complex than that.

X

Originally Posted by xman

Considering the vast number of Japanese kitchen knives produced annually, it's likely a little more complex than that.

X

Yep, hadn't thought of the kitchen knives. Good point, X.

Well I'll tell you why. Unlike the usual European or U.S based manufacturers including the old line companies the products were manufactured in a factory and semi-mass produced environment. Most of the japanese products are made by a single family or one person who does everything the old fashioned way and the production is limited to one item at a time and its not released until its done right. The Japanese are fanatical when it comes to QC and fewer and fewer of these items are being produced each year and those that are left can't even begin to keep up with the demand. There are still several individuals who will make a true samaurai sword for you to the original specifications oramentation and all if your willing to wait about 3 years and have a spare 30 grand or so if you keep the ornamentation to a minimum!