Thread: What is a friodur?

I see blades by different manufacturers described as "friodur". Would someone please explain what this means? Thanks.

Jordan

Friodur razors are made by JA Henckels in Germany. They are ice-hardened (cryogenically treated) stainless steel. Great shavers.

Thanks Kyle, I've also seen the term applied to razors by Rudolph Stehlo. Does friodur refer to the ice-hardening process specifically?


Jordan

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

Friodur razors are made by JA Henckels in Germany. They are ice-hardened (cryogenically treated) stainless steel. Great shavers.

Buggers to hone.

Originally Posted by jnich67

I see blades by different manufacturers described as "friodur". Would someone please explain what this means? Thanks.

Jordan

It is a type of razor made by Henckels. The "Friodur" model simply refers to the ice hardening process used for those models. Even henckels knives havea friodur line which uses this process.

Edit: err...had to run out to the store between writing my response and posting it...sorry to just repeat what everyone else has just said.

Originally Posted by Kees

Buggers to hone.

Glad it's not just me.

LG Roy

I've got two Friodurs, and am looking for more. They're not really that hard to hone and they take a very keen edge and keep it.

Sounds like a neat process for forging the blade itself.

Originally Posted by Kees

Buggers to hone.

Their reputation is much worse than their reality. This morning I used my 7/8 Henckels Friodur, and accidentally lifted the spine when the beagle's cold nose nuzzled my ankle. In the vain hope that nothing was damaged, I finished stropping and started shaving. The edge was toast - it pulled unmercifully, and I gave up after less than an inch on the first stroke.

I pulled out my barber's hone and gave the blade 2 laps with a bit of pressure, then 5 laps with no pressure, then 10 laps on the leather, and resumed shaving. The shave was great, no pulling, and a close clean shave.

Had this happened with a sheffield carbon steel blade I would have done nearly the same procedure but without the 2 initial laps (this has happened before, I shave right after feeding and walking him, so he's feeling particularly affectionate and hopeful about that time).

This holds true on the Norton as well, the stainless blades need a little more pressure at the start and an equally light finish. For that matter, a really hard carbon steel blade is honed similarly, they're just not as common, at least not from sheffield or solingen. But you do run into them from time to time.

Originally Posted by JLStorm

It is a type of razor made by Henckels. The "Friodur" model simply refers to the ice hardening process used for those models. Even henckels knives havea friodur line which uses this process.

Edit: err...had to run out to the store between writing my response and posting it...sorry to just repeat what everyone else has just said.

I believe that Friodur is the name for Henckels ice hardening process and for cutlery produced using that process (it's a very smart name btw, kudos to the marketing guys at Henckels).

Rudolph Stehlo used to buy Friodur blanks from Henckels and grind them himself, which is why Stehlo makes Friodurs as well.

Redwoood