Tatara Razors

Tatara Razors is a Portuguese manufacturer of double-edge safety razors and wet-shaving accessories, based in Porto. It was established in September 2016 by three engineers—André Guimarães, Luis Oliveira, and João Gomes—who set out to apply precise machining to a category they saw as dominated by basic, mass-produced razors [2]. The brand takes its name from the tatara, the traditional furnace used in Japanese sword-making, a reference the company uses to signal its focus on craftsmanship [2].

The company designs and manufactures its razors entirely in Portugal, and remains active, with a product line that has grown beyond its original models.

The three founders describe themselves as "Friends and Engineers," and each brought a technical background to the venture: Guimarães in CNC machining, Oliveira in product design and automotive parts modelling, and Gomes in process engineering and investment casting [1]. According to the company, the trio identified saturation in the basic double-edge razor market and wanted to build a cleaner, more refined instrument centred on minimalist design [2].

Tatara frames its work through metalworking heritage. The name evokes Japanese sword-making, and the company positions its razors as products engineered to close machining tolerances—cited as tight as 0.02mm—with attention to blade alignment and vibration.

Tatara's catalogue centres on three-piece safety razors, alongside shaving brushes, blades, and soaps and aftershaves [3]. Its first product was the Masamune, launched as a closed- or open-comb razor offered in stainless steel and titanium. The Nodachi followed with a larger handle and shares components with the Masamune, so that top caps and base plates are interchangeable between the two. The Muramasa is an adjustable model that the company markets as "5 razors in 1," built around a patented system that varies the blade gap from 0.60mm to 0.90mm [1]. A later model, the Amakuni, has since been added to the range [6].

Materials vary by model, and the documented specifications differ in their level of detail. The company describes its razors broadly as CNC machined from high-grade AISI stainless steel and titanium, hand-finished and sandblasted [2]. A more specific account comes from the wet-shaving publication Sharpologist, whose review identified the Masamune as machined from AISI 303 stainless steel [4], while the adjustable Muramasa is described as using 316L stainless steel [1]. These are not competing claims so much as different grades used across different models.

Tatara's stated mission is, in its own words, "to sustainably create exceptional long-lasting products, and provide a pleasurable and comfortable shaving experience" [2]. Its positioning rests on precision engineering, minimalist design, and durability, and the company presents the longevity of its metal razors as its sustainability argument—hardware meant to last rather than disposables to be discarded [1]. The razors sit at the premium end of the market.

The Masamune was reviewed in November 2022 by Sharpologist, whose reviewer praised its fit and finish and described it as delivering "outstanding shaves" and a close result "without irritation," suitable for beginner and experienced shavers alike [4]. The Nodachi has been the subject of a review thread on the wet-shaving forum Badger & Blade [5]. Tatara also lists Men's Journal and Essential among "as seen in" press features on its own site, though these are the company's own attributions.

Tatara Razors remains active. It manufactures in Porto and ships internationally direct to customers, and its products are also carried by specialty wet-shaving retailers in the United States and Europe. The addition of newer models such as the Amakuni to its line indicates ongoing product development [6].