I am – I’m happy to say – a very lucky guy; I got an Tatara Masamune razor as an unexpected gift. Thank you, Joao and the rest of the Tatara Team! While I have not put the Masamune through it’s paces yet, I have some initial impression of the design, craftsmanship and presentation.

But first; photos!

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First off; full marks on presentation – the form cut cork block holds the razor secure, and is distinct. It’s also recyclable and biodegrade, something that sets it apart from the plastic and foam many razors are still packaged in.

The craftsmanship strikes me as very good – there is clean edges, no machining marks, and a uniform finish. The uniform finish across all three pieces of razor is something a lot of big name manufacturers often don’t quite manage.

Considering that I like short handled razors with the centre of gravity just below the head, there is from my initial handling nothing I want to change on the Masamune. It simply feels good in my hand.

A few other observations;

• The threaded hole in the handle has a blind hole below it – I’m not sure if it’s there just to make sure you don’t put too much pressure on the end of the threaded shank or do slightly change the balance of the razor, but it’s something I don’t see on many razors.
• The hole in the base plate is so large the top of the handle don’t press against it – instead the base plate ride on the ball near the top of the handle. I assume this is done to minimise the risk of damage to the thread, as well as providing more bearing surface.
• The razor comes with a trio of Feather blades, commonly held to be among the sharpest blades available and usually best suited for mild razors – to me this indicates the Masamune is mild.

Overall my initial impression of the fit, finish and design is great. It’s obvious to me, having some technical background, that the team behind the Tatara razor knows engineering – something made even more obvious by the page they have on specifications on their website.

I am already looking forward to Monday, when I get to shave with the Masamune for the first time.

Tatara have a lot more details about their razors on their website (http://www.tatararazors.com/), including detailed specification on blade angle, exposure and so on.