Thread: Tosuke Japanese Straight Razor

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!

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

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!

National Geographic runs a documentary on the traditional art of Japanese sword making.
It follows the process from iron ore to polished sword.
True traditional swords take 3 months to forge and 3 months to sharpen / polish.
Then it gets displayed in a gallery, waiting for prospective buyers. If both the smith and the polisher are both considered masters, that sword'll cost 25K to 50K.

That is, IF the gallery owner wants to sell it to you. Some are of the old fashined kind who still adhere to the principle that the sword is the soul of the samurai.

Japan has still has 5 sword making schools today, but even then, traditional forgind is so time-consuming that the demand greatly outnumbers the supply.

Quick update - called Jatai today to place an order - the prices on their razors have just gone up ($180 for the AC DX folder). They were a stand up company and honored the price they gave me a few weeks ago though.