Thread: Stainless or not

Another question: What is the advantage/disadvantage of stainless steel, other than the obvious.

thanks

Rebbe

Its kind of subjective. I find the carbon razors feel a little nicer on the face, as if the steel is softer. Right now I'm shaving with one of each. I think they both require a very slightly different honing strategy, more high grit strokes for the stainless.

The simple reliability of a stainless blade though makes it my most used razor.

Originally Posted by Reb Bahir

Another question: What is the advantage/disadvantage of stainless steel, other than the obvious.

thanks

Rebbe

Stainless, to many folks, has no advantage. Some SS razors are bears to hone. Some don't hold an edge as well and some feel they give a harsher feel on the edge. I have honed many SS from a number of manufacturers. The only SS I have in my rotation is the Mastro Livi group buy razor(ATS 34 inox) and it stays wicked sharp. It bumped a Dovo en Vogue No 105. SS. The Dovo is cryogenically hardened. It still did not keep an edge as well as my other carbon razors. Friodur SS razors tend to be very good. I have had other SS blades cryogenically hardened before I rescaled them that have performed well for their owners. It will come down to personnel preference.

yes - it's a personal preference - you wouldn't know until you try both. this being said I have many carbon steel razors that I would prefer over some stainless steel ones and vice versa.

Stainless is evil I tell ya Ok so I'm a carbon zealot

Stainless knives and razors just don't like me...

I have a Friodur and it rocks, very smoth, I haven't honed it yet.

The best way to find out is to get one of both. If you don't want to do that right away,
just pick whatever razor you like best!

- Scott

I found the Henckles Friodurs to be in the "difficult to hone" category. They were certainly capable of getting "very sharp", but were finicky about getting there.

My Dovo Renaissance SS, however, was one of the easiest to hone razors I own, and also took and maintains a fantastic edge. The shave itself also felt much smoother with the Dovo.

I would therefore recommend if you were interested in a SS blade, to seriously consider a Dovo. The reviews by Joel over on B&B would also seem to indicate that he had goos experiencesas well with Dovo stainless.

I do really like the low maintanence aspect of the SS razors. The carbon ones make me neurotic about cleaning/drying, etc. (that being said I currently own only one SS, and the rest are carbon...go figure). I would like to add another SS to my stable, but I'm not sure if I want a duplicate Renaissance, or to try a Dovo SS 5/8 "41" blade

Most of my straights are carbon, but the one I reach for most often happens to be stainless. There is the advantage that one doesn't have to stress too much about it, but over all I believe it should be a case by case basis. Some stainless blades do better than some carbon blades and vice versa.

John P.