Thread: Two Japanese beauties in tha house

First a Tanifuji !
This is a very respected brand in Japan, Iwasaki used to send his famous western Straights to Tanifuji Factory for scales and finishing the blades. The blade is the typical I think for Japan 13/16" , and hollow ground.

Second I was able to put my dirty little hands on a Daishi Tamahagane
The Tamahagane steel was made by Yasuki which is one of the two I believe main steel manufacturers in Japan. The razor is again 13/16 , ~ 1/4 hollow.

Both razors are NOS and never used before, never honed just pristine.
Here some pics:

These are real beauties. One of these days I'll have to add one or more Japanese razors to the collection.

I am going to hone that Tamahagane today and see how it shaves, I wish I could compare to Iwasaki Tamahagane western too.

Lovely razors. I'm looking for a Tanifuji myself, an excellent name there.

FYI, Yasuki is a city in Shimane prefecture, near Izumo. That is where Hitachi makes its steel--White Paper, Blue Paper, etc. Yasuki steel is not synonymous with Tamahagane, but Tamahagane is made in Yasuki. All of the steel made there is made from the "Black Iron Sand."

Originally Posted by JimR

Lovely razors. I'm looking for a Tanifuji myself, an excellent name there.

FYI, Yasuki is a city in Shimane prefecture, near Izumo. That is where Hitachi makes its steel--White Paper, Blue Paper, etc. Yasuki steel is not synonymous with Tamahagane, but Tamahagane is made in Yasuki. All of the steel made there is made from the "Black Iron Sand."

Thanks Jim,
I was wondering if that tamahagane is attempt to recreate closely the traditional Tamahagane?
I have seen both Yasuki and Hitachi used in reference to steel makers that is why I thought they are two separate companies, thanks for the clarification.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Thanks Jim,
I was wondering if that tamahagane is attempt to recreate closely the traditional Tamahagane?
I have seen both Yasuki and Hitachi used in reference to steel makers that is why I thought they are two separate companies, thanks for the clarification.

The Yasuki Factory in Yasugi Used to be an independent steelmaker, then it was bought by Hitachi （in the 1960s, I believe). Since then, both names are applied to it--probably as a kind of appeal to tradition.

As for "in the tradition of tamahagane", I think it unlikely since Yasugi is one location where they still hold a traditional Tatara smelting. It's possible, I guess, especially since they didn't write the Kanji...

One thing, what is that at the end of "Tamahagane" on the tang? R? RK?

Originally Posted by JimR

The Yasuki Factory in Yasugi Used to be an independent steelmaker, then it was bought by Hitachi （in the 1960s, I believe). Since then, both names are applied to it--probably as a kind of appeal to tradition.

As for "in the tradition of tamahagane", I think it unlikely since Yasugi is one location where they still hold a traditional Tatara smelting. It's possible, I guess, especially since they didn't write the Kanji...

One thing, what is that at the end of "Tamahagane" on the tang? R? RK?

it says Tamahagane RK Co

Also there is another stamp on the other side of the tang in kanji, can you read it for me?

It says Takahashi. Common name...it could be someone who worked for Tanifuji?

Ｉt looks like Tamahagane RK Co. is a company name--on this page: Link there is an "M66" razor with that company name, but it's a stainless steel razor. It's confusing...

Originally Posted by JimR

It says Takahashi. Common name...it could be someone who worked for Tanifuji?

Ｉt looks like Tamahagane RK Co. is a company name--on this page: Link there is an "M66" razor with that company name, but it's a stainless steel razor. It's confusing...

Is that razor made by Tanifuji too?

Crack-a-lackin' razors MC Stefan
Look forward to the shave test report.