Thread: Help! What should I do?

That is a good razor and you are well on your way, I would treasure it, seems to be a bit of a curiousity.

Stainless steels are (generally speaking) steel with chromium added. The chromium tends to repel corrosion. 300 series stainless steels contain both chromium and nickel. The nickel makes them non or less magnetic. 400 series stainless does not contain nickel and some of those are magnetic.

Be that as it may, I like all the Dovos I have and I treat them all as equals whether they are branded with some silly badge or not. Stainless schmainless who cares? Keep it sharp, clean and dry it when you are finished.

Oh and by the way, any stainless steel will rust if it has not been properly passivated.

Well now you have a collector's item as well as a great shaver.

Quality stainless steel blades are made from martinsitic stainless steels, typically 440 or one of its varients. All martensitic steels are magnetic. I wouldn't worry to much about whether the blade is stainless or not. If it is, it will be slightly less hard than a carbon steel blade, but probably not enough to matter to you. It may also be slightly more difficult to hone due to the galling nature of stainless as compared to carbon steel, but again, probably not enough to matter. It will stay bright without polishing, whereas carbon steel will eventually take on a grey patina.

Well, there are several crappy things that can really ruin it when getting a new razor. Warped blades, uneven grind, warped scales, bad scratches, bad heat treat, bent pins, loose pins, etc. If this one looks great and shaves great, then count yourself lucky and keep it for sure. The fact that it is unusual just makes it sweeter.