My grail razor the search is finally over.:-)

Well I think many of you who know me know I like Japanese razors and especially NOS ones, well for many years I've been on the look out for a NOS Iwasaki western style straight well finding a good one is hard enough so you can imagine how difficult it is to find a NOS one, well I've actually found one and it's flying in from Japan in the next week or so I'm so chuffed I cannot believe it, photo's will follow but here's a little taster.

岩崎​

The legendary blacksmith Mr. Shigeyoshi Iwasaki was born in 1933 and was trained by among others his father Dr. Iwasaki Kousuke that designed Iwasaki Kamisori also a metallurgist famous for classifying Japanese steels i.e. "yellow paper", "white paper", "blue paper" etc.
He also took part in an investigation of ancient swords and knives kept at Syousou-In, a treasure house built in the 8th century.
When he was not in his forge, he teached technical skills and metallurgy theory to young blacksmiths from Sanjo as Shigefusa and Yoshikane

This one is Old and made By Iwasaki him self ! Western Iwasaki razors is Super Rare and very hard to find.*
Many Japanese collectors are also on search for them so for us outside Japan it is even harder to get !
Collector Item*

Steel: Swedish Carbon Steel
Hardness: ca. 64 HRC
Length: 71 mm
Length hight: 20 mm

 

Sweet, Congrats!

 

Congratulations!

 

Lovely! Congrats!

 

It must feel great. Pays to set your goals high.

 

Congratulations Jamie. Very !!!

 

Well Done Jamie! My all-time best shaver is my carbon steel Iwasaki.

You're in for a real treat.

 

Thanks Mike I had been tracking the razor for sometime in Japan I wasn't confident in getting the razor I thought that in the last dying moments a dealer or collector would brush my final bid aside, but I guess the razor Gods wanted me to have it, I honestly never thought I would find or own a NOS Iwasaki I've only ever seen one before owned by Stefan.

 

I live about 100 miles from Stefan. Was at a local meet up and saw his collection of straights and stones. Impressive is a woefully inadequate description. Never underestimate the far reaching tendrils of the Bulgarian Razor Mafia . Seriously, he has connections under rocks everywhere. If he wants to find it, it's just a matter of time.

 

Why does TapaTalk insist my user name on TSD become "entropy104901"...?

"entropy1049" = "entropy104901" = MIND BLOWN.

 

It's great to see pictures of it Jamie. It looks awesome.

 

Excellent, good for you.

 

Beautiful razor. Nice find!

 

Very nice, Jamie. I've read that Tanafuji Fukataro taught Iwasaki to make the western style straights.

Enjoy the shave. Japanese razors are the best.

 

Well done!
...and now the quest ends!

Jamie retires from NOS razor collecting and decides to sell off his gorgeous lot of non-Iwasaki at fire-sale prices to those whom have admired his fine collection from across the pond.

 

Jamie, congratulations! And if @HolyRollah is correct, let me in on the sale, please!

 

As I understand it, Tanifuji was first called upon to finish and scale the blades for Iwasaki.

What Tanifuji was to Japanese Western style straights, Iwasaki was to Japanese steel.

 

Beautiful. I bet it shaves beautifully also. Congrats!

 

Awesome find, and great history on the actual razor, too! Now about all those other ones you won't be needing any more...