Amakuni - first Tatara single-edge razor

[Brutus]

Im not sold on magnets being able to clamp the razor as securely as threads.

Noted.

The subject of the suitability of neodymium magnets, whose magnetic energy value is about 18 times greater than "ordinary" ferrite magnets by volume and 12 times by mass (quoted from Wikipedia), has been extensively debated around here before and the verdict was near unanimous.
I have full confidence in the Amakuni’s neodymium magnets, which is further helped by a life-long warranty.

They may not hold as securely as threads, but for what they are supposed to do I very much doubt they need to.


B.

 

[SRLNY]

All

Im not sold on magnets being able to clamp the razor as securely as threads.

The cap is held firm - quickly firm - on. It absolutely works. It’s not just the magnets that clamp it into place but the design of the posts that hold the cap on at the ends. Once the cap is snapped into place, the blade is clamped in. If anything, I feel more confidence in this arrangement than in the usual screw-on caps which, on occasion, I’ve not fully tightened or have come loose while shaving (not often but that has happened). And it’s so easy with the design to grasp the cap firmly and pull it off to change blades or clean. I wish all my razors were this easy. Ingenious and it really does work.

 

[idjekyll]

If you asked me 24 hours ago I would have said the magnets are fantastic but unfortunately the top cap had a tumble and somehow the magnet chipped. Only realised it after the shave which was fantastic as usual. Reached out to Tatara and fair play to them they sent out a replacement almost immediately but I gotta send mine back as well. Excellent service from Tatara but I'm questioning it's long term durability.

 

[Sethology]

Even the strongest "permanent" magnets lose their strength in time. And with damage that easily done you better hope tatara doesn't shutter it's doors one day. I suppose I'm sticking with my gut on this matter. Hopefully tatara revisits their design cause I do love their razors.

If you asked me 24 hours ago I would have said the magnets are fantastic but unfortunately the top cap had a tumble and somehow the magnet chipped. Only realised it after the shave which was fantastic as usual. Reached out to Tatara and fair play to them they sent out a replacement almost immediately but I gotta send mine back as well. Excellent service from Tatara but I'm questioning it's long term durability.

 

[Brutus]

…unfortunately the top cap had a tumble and somehow the magnet chipped. …I'm questioning it's long term durability.

If your previous razor, or part of it, had a tumble (onto the floor, I suppose) and would have been damaged, would you be questioning it's long term durability as well?


Stuff happens, but I also tend to question myself how much I might have had to do with it.
I believe it’s safe to assume that tossing parts of the razor onto a tiled floor was probably not part of the Amakuni testing program.



B.

 

[Scaramouche]

Yep, one of the downsides of neodymium - it's a sintered alloy (Nd2Fe14B) so is fairly brittle. I suspect yours developed a flaw when seated, so likely not a normal break (note the others are intact), but they do require careful handling in production. It's also technically an iron alloy, so is subject to corrosion and must be plated. Otherwise is definitely suited for purpose, and more than strong enough to hold a thin steel razor blade. To be fair, welded posts have their own issues depending on material (ZAMAK is also a sintered alloy and corrosion-prone), and can be easily bent if dropped or damaged if cross-threaded (particularly the Vector's half-post), so ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice....

If you asked me 24 hours ago I would have said the magnets are fantastic but unfortunately the top cap had a tumble and somehow the magnet chipped. Only realised it after the shave which was fantastic as usual. Reached out to Tatara and fair play to them they sent out a replacement almost immediately but I gotta send mine back as well. Excellent service from Tatara but I'm questioning it's long term durability.

 

[Shargan8]

All

The cap is held firm - quickly firm - on. It absolutely works. It’s not just the magnets that clamp it into place but the design of the posts that hold the cap on at the ends. Once the cap is snapped into place, the blade is clamped in. If anything, I feel more confidence in this arrangement than in the usual screw-on caps which, on occasion, I’ve not fully tightened or have come loose while shaving (not often but that has happened). And it’s so easy with the design to grasp the cap firmly and pull it off to change blades or clean. I wish all my razors were this easy. Ingenious and it really does work.

Not according to my observations, the blade isn't clamped in at all. Amakuni top cap doesn't make contact with the blade anywhere along the blade surface. The blade is held in place primarily by the magnets in the base plate. Yes, I was stunned to learn this. The top cap rests on two posts and doesn't touch the blade at all. There's a small gap between the top cap and the blade along the entire length of the blade. You may be able to observe the gap if you look carefully aginst some backlighting, e.g., a bathromm light. See pictures below for evidence of the gap with the blade installed.

I didn't get good shaves with Amakuni especially when shaving at a steep angle (riding the safety bar). The shave was better when shaving shallow (riding the cap). This isn't surprising because the blade simply isn't locked in place. I declared my Amakuni defective and returned it to Tatara for a refund minus the FedEx shipping fee. They examined my pictures and informed me that:

• Small gap is to be expected between the top cap and the blade
• The gap on my razor was excessive. Tatara offered an exchange but by that time I had already soured on the design. They processed my refund promptly and were very helpful during the process.

In hindsight, if the top cap were making firm contact wtih the blade, the magnets in the top cap and base plate would be so close to each other that you would have a hard time pulling off the cap. There isn't much area to grab onto in the top cap side panels to overcome the magentic force. This is probably why the Blackland Batch 002 has a rod going through the base plate and you can then push the rod to detach the top cap.

You should ignore my feedback especially if you enjoy shaving with your Amakuni. I didn't enjoy mine, which was contrary to most responses in this thread. I then decided to investigate why and after several shaves, it dawned on me to take a closer look at how the blade is held in place.

 

[SRLNY]

As a guy who’s twice dropped expensive brushes, both more expensive than the Amakuni - sigh - onto my hard bathroom floor, I’m thinking the price of clumsiness exists no matter what. And while I’ve yet to drop an expensive razor, I suspect any I’ve ever had would also suffer with the wrong drop, including those two and three times the cost of the Amakuni. Since Tatara is offering an exchange, I’ve got to say that’s pretty great customer service, and, to me, comforting. I actually ordered another Amakuni for my beach house on Wednesday to take advantage of the present 15% off. Tells you all how much I like this razor - irrespective of how it’s clamped or otherwise designed with magnets that might lose strength in, say, 10 years. The darned thing works magnificently for me as ridiculously smooth and with an efficiency I can vary with different blades. I would note that I’ve had peak performance with Kai blades over Feathers; have yet to try a Schick. In any event it joins my mixed metal H&S N075 as the only razor at both houses. Arrived here in NY on Friday (!), just two days, in an “Amakuni” box.

 

[SRLNY]

Not according to my observations, the blade isn't clamped in at all. Amakuni top cap doesn't make contact with the blade anywhere along the blade surface. The blade is held in place primarily by the magnets in the base plate. Yes, I was stunned to learn this. The top cap rests on two posts and doesn't touch the blade at all. There's a small gap between the top cap and the blade along the entire length of the blade. You may be able to observe the gap if you look carefully aginst some backlighting, e.g., a bathromm light. See pictures below for evidence of the gap with the blade installed.

I didn't get good shaves with Amakuni especially when shaving at a steep angle (riding the safety bar). The shave was better when shaving shallow (riding the cap). This isn't surprising because the blade simply isn't locked in place. I declared my Amakuni defective and returned it to Tatara for a refund minus the FedEx shipping fee. They examined my pictures and informed me that:

• Small gap is to be expected between the top cap and the blade
• The gap on my razor was excessive. Tatara offered an exchange but by that time I had already soured on the design. They processed my refund promptly and were very helpful during the process.

In hindsight, if the top cap were making firm contact wtih the blade, the magnets in the top cap and base plate would be so close to each other that you would have a hard time pulling off the cap. There isn't much area to grab onto in the top cap side panels to overcome the magentic force. This is probably why the Blackland Batch 002 has a rod going through the base plate and you can then push the rod to detach the top cap.

You should ignore my feedback especially if you enjoy shaving with your Amakuni. I didn't enjoy mine, which was contrary to most responses in this thread. I then decided to investigate why and after several shaves, it dawned on me to take a closer look at how the blade is held in place.

Interesting and that’s not how either of my (now) two Amakunis hold the blade. Mine have either a non-visible and hence negligible gap or contact all along the blade; maybe not clamping as some of my DEs bend the blade down but no visible gap. Certainly no chatter, whether that’s due to the magnets or the overall blade position. Just took these pics. Yours somewhat doesn’t look like it’s seated in the rear, which would prevent the top cap from snapping into place. And the contact doesn’t make it hard to pull off the cap at all - just pinch between thumb and index finger and lift. Not hard. In fact almost pleasurably easy and fast to take off to play with a different blade in the middle of the shave or to clean off when done. As for shaving, everyone’s mileage with razors seems to differ and as my immediately proceeding post says, this is a razor that has utterly won me over out of the dozens (probably that high a number by now, including some of the most expensive ones that are out there) that I’ve used. Of course, the buy and try that Tatara offers, along with some other razor makers (but most certainly not all) always has to be commended.

 

[LRod]

Not according to my observations, the blade isn't clamped in at all. Amakuni top cap doesn't make contact with the blade anywhere along the blade surface. The blade is held in place primarily by the magnets in the base plate. Yes, I was stunned to learn this. The top cap rests on two posts and doesn't touch the blade at all. There's a small gap between the top cap and the blade along the entire length of the blade. You may be able to observe the gap if you look carefully aginst some backlighting, e.g., a bathromm light. See pictures below for evidence of the gap with the blade installed.

I didn't get good shaves with Amakuni especially when shaving at a steep angle (riding the safety bar). The shave was better when shaving shallow (riding the cap). This isn't surprising because the blade simply isn't locked in place. I declared my Amakuni defective and returned it to Tatara for a refund minus the FedEx shipping fee. They examined my pictures and informed me that:

• Small gap is to be expected between the top cap and the blade
• The gap on my razor was excessive. Tatara offered an exchange but by that time I had already soured on the design. They processed my refund promptly and were very helpful during the process.

In hindsight, if the top cap were making firm contact wtih the blade, the magnets in the top cap and base plate would be so close to each other that you would have a hard time pulling off the cap. There isn't much area to grab onto in the top cap side panels to overcome the magentic force. This is probably why the Blackland Batch 002 has a rod going through the base plate and you can then push the rod to detach the top cap.

You should ignore my feedback especially if you enjoy shaving with your Amakuni. I didn't enjoy mine, which was contrary to most responses in this thread. I then decided to investigate why and after several shaves, it dawned on me to take a closer look at how the blade is held in place.

Curious, was yours an early one? Did it have the Torx or not?
I'm wondering if they've tweaked it since it's release!
The one I ordered is still in transit so it should be one of the later ones!

 

[Shargan8]

No, I ordered my Amakuni on 12-Feb-2025. Here's a picture of the base plate with blade attached. The base plate has a Torx screw.

 

[LRod]

No, I ordered my Amakuni on 12-Feb-2025. Here's a picture of the base plate with blade attached. The base plate has a Torx screw.

Got it!
So I guess you got a defective one then (possibly). I haven't seen any other write-ups on issues thus far.
I'm really not concerned with how the blade is held as long as it does the job and delivers a good shave.
And I'll just be extra careful while handling it!

 

[Sethology]

My confirmation bias is feeling very strong with some of these comments lol

 

[Scaramouche]

No gap on mine, but as an observation the head assembly doesn't "clamp" the blade in the traditional sense. Since it's an AC blade there's really no need - the blade design itself prevents chatter (vertical oscillation) of the blade by the stiffness of the blade itself. The head design 1) keeps the blade flat and in contact with the length of the baseplate, and 2) prevents lateral and forward/back movement of the blade by the precise placement of the pins. For this to occur, the magnets (both top and bottom) need to be below the surface of the cap/plate. If they're raised even a fraction of a millimeter, this intimate contact is prevented (happened on mine). Secondly, the pins need to be short enough to fully seat in the opposing holes for the cap to be in contact its full length. This may have occurred in @Shargan8 's razor. Microscopic alignment matters in this design, and the magnets just keep the cap and baseplate in intimate contact to ensure this. If the manufacture and assembly is as designed, there should be no movement possible for the blade in any dimension. This may be where some hand-fitting is required, and there's evidence that Tatara does this. Not always perfectly, evidenced by one of my razors, but they'll make it right, as they did on mine. Or replace it or refund it, in the case of @Shargan8. But in my experience there's nothing inherently wrong with the design as far as being able to provide excellent performance, witnessed by the number of very satisfied and experienced shavers here, with the added advantage of a design that allows the ultimate in ease of changing blades.

 

[Scaramouche]

Got it!
So I guess you got a defective one then (possibly). I haven't seen any other write-ups on issues thus far.
I'm really not concerned with how the blade is held as long as it does the job and delivers a good shave.
And I'll just be extra careful while handling it!

It was definitely defective from the photo - either the pins were too long (or holes were too short), or the magnets in the cap weren't fully seated. My explanation from Tatara on mine was that they more or less do this by hand, so another one slipped by QC. Inspecting your razor for the first time, ensure that baseplate, razor and cap make a completely flat "sandwich." I think Tatara may have misinterpreted the poster's comment, because there is no gap (of air) in the assembled head - there is a gap looking at the rear of a loaded razor that prevents the cap meeting the baseplate - it's occupied by the thickness of the blade - but that's the purpose of the magnets: to keep all the layers tightly assembled and ensure the blade isn't displaced from the pins..

With blade:

Without blade:

 

[Shargan8]

It was definitely defective from the photo - either the pins were too long (or holes were too short), or the magnets in the cap weren't fully seated. My explanation from Tatara on mine was that they more or less do this by hand, so another one slipped by QC. Inspecting your razor for the first time, ensure that baseplate, razor and cap make a completely flat "sandwich." I think Tatara may have misinterpreted the poster's comment, because there is no gap (of air) in the assembled head - there is a gap looking at the rear of a loaded razor that prevents the cap meeting the baseplate - it's occupied by the thickness of the blade - but that's the purpose of the magnets: to keep all the layers tightly assembled and ensure the blade isn't displaced from the pins..

Rest assured that Tatara didn't misinterpret my feedback. There's most certainly a gap (of air) in the assembled head and that gap probably exists in every Amakuni razor ever shipped including yours. Here's Tatara's response copied verbatim from my email correspondence (emphasis mine):

"We did the design to be easier to remove and there should be a super small gap but the ones you have shown in the photos are way too much open."

"To be easier to remove" refers to the top cap still being easy to remove by most users despite the strong magnets. And that's made possible by the fact that top cap hovers just a tiny bit above the blade instead of clamping it down.

So, I stand by my previous assertion that Amakuni top cap doesn't make full contact with the blade, which is by design. You may not be able to observe the gap in your razor for a variety of reasons. Also, you can't take a picture of the gap by placing the razor on a flat, matte, horizontal surface because 1) the razor will be at an incorrect angle to observe the gap and 2) there isn't going to be enough backlighting to reveal the gap. But once you observe the gap, you can't unsee it thereafter. Also, recall that my initial recommendation was to ignore my feedback if you enjoy your Amakuni shaves.

But here's what to do if you want to observe the gap:

• Insert a regular AC blade, not the pro-touch with ridges that's in your pictures.
• Attach the top cap.
• Hold your Amakuni razor against a bathroom light or another source of strong light.
• Move the razor slightly until the light shines through the gap and hits your retina.

It's also perfectly possible that your Amakuni is an example of the "super small gap" that Tatara aimed for in their design. In contrast, mine was on the opposite end of the spectrum most likely because the pins protruding from the base plate were too tall. Let me also clarify that I'm not trying to ding Tatara's engineering talent. I believe they're brilliant and I also believe that properly manufactured Amakuni with a super small gap will function as intended by Tatara. So, again, enjoy your Amakuni shaves.

 

[Sethology]

Rest assured that Tatara didn't misinterpret my feedback. There's most certainly a gap (of air) in the assembled head and that gap probably exists in every Amakuni razor ever shipped including yours. Here's Tatara's response copied verbatim from my email correspondence (emphasis mine):

"We did the design to be easier to remove and there should be a super small gap but the ones you have shown in the photos are way too much open."

"To be easier to remove" refers to the top cap still being easy to remove by most users despite the strong magnets. And that's made possible by the fact that top cap hovers just a tiny bit above the blade instead of clamping it down.

So, I stand by my previous assertion that Amakuni top cap doesn't make full contact with the blade, which is by design. You may not be able to observe the gap in your razor for a variety of reasons. Also, you can't take a picture of the gap by placing the razor on a flat, matte, horizontal surface because 1) the razor will be at an incorrect angle to observe the gap and 2) there isn't going to be enough backlighting to reveal the gap. But once you observe the gap, you can't unsee it thereafter. Also, recall that my initial recommendation was to ignore my feedback if you enjoy your Amakuni shaves.

But here's what to do if you want to observe the gap:

• Insert a regular AC blade, not the pro-touch with ridges that's in your pictures.
• Attach the top cap.
• Hold your Amakuni razor against a bathroom light or another source of strong light.
• Move the razor slightly until the light shines through the gap and hits your retina.

It's also perfectly possible that your Amakuni is an example of the "super small gap" that Tatara aimed for in their design. In contrast, mine was on the opposite end of the spectrum most likely because the pins protruding from the base plate were too tall. Let me also clarify that I'm not trying to ding Tatara's engineering talent. I believe they're brilliant and I also believe that properly manufactured Amakuni with a super small gap will function as intended by Tatara. So, again, enjoy your Amakuni shaves.

I think they should have just used a thread. No point in reinventing the wheel unless it's something wildly innovative. And to me using magnets that will easily ding and lose their strength over time is just going backwards

 

[Scaramouche]

Understood all. Couple of clarifications - my initial photos were just examples of the head appearance in my razors, not meant to be definitive measurements. However, here are two others - taken on a light table, with the razor head positioned perfectly parallel to the blade and the camera lens, under magnification. There is no light gap visible, anywhere, front or back, other than the thin strip over the connecting screw - which is seated below the surface of the baseplate, as it should be. Other methods for determining if a space exists between proximal surfaces is using a shim or carbon black (which is likely what Tatara uses in adjustments - you can also use a thin film of vaseline as a crude measure of contact). I didn't have a shim fine enough that wouldn't catch, but the below photos represent what is likely the closest approximation you can get between mating surfaces of unpolished metal. The blade, to all physical appearances, appears to be in complete contact with both the cap and the baseplate. The top caps on both my razors are easy to remove, and the magnetic connection is firm but easy to overcome. Your razor on reviewing the photos appeared to have the cap elevated by either the pins or the magnets - as was my titanium razor initially. So in essence I agree with you. It is indeed a "super small gap," not otherwise detectable short of an SEM.

 

[Scaramouche]

Another way to quantify interstitial space is by direct measurement, depending on the shape, material and construction of the the object measured - in this case made possible by the nature of the razor head. We're all about the scientific method at B&B! In this instance measured with a calibrated electronic micrometer to 1/100mm. It's important to try and measure comparisons of manufactured objects with tolerances in the exact same location, so here the measurements are taken about 1/3 of the way from the end of the head (same end), helpfully assisted by the magnets which indexed the micrometer at (more or less) the same spot (visually). Measured thickness of the head with and without a blade installed, as well as the thickness of the blade used. Results:

Without blade:

With blade:

Blade thickness:

These findings indicate (subtract with/without and compare to blade thickness) an unexplained difference of .01mm. The "gap" (not an actual, visible space, but the difference between the expected and actual approximation of surfaces). Everything being equal (exact placement of measuring instrument, perfectly uniform surface texture, perfectly calibrated instrument, no effect of ambient environment), the difference should be zero. This type of difference represents most likely, in order, given the parameters of the experiment 1) variable thickness of the blade itself or blade coating along it's length, 2) variation of location of measurements taken on the object, 3) limits of the precision of the measuring device. A tabletop exercise, but it demonstrates to me a precision I'm comfortable with for a (somewhat) mass-produced shaving implement. And emphasizing for perspective an "n" of 1 - my titanium Amakuni, with obvious variability across the spectrum of razors represented here. A fun excursion for the forum, and hopefully a useful addition to "What I know is what I think" perspective that all of us share in the shaving community. Here's to more knowledge!