These guys have pointed out some very good points and they have reasons. Functional straight razors, even though a simple tool, are a bit tougher to make than a standard knife. None of the questions or comments are meant to discourage, they all are meant to help you. You obviously researched your steels to find something really hard, but there is a balance on most steels on hardness, abrasion resistance/toughness, and brittleness, especially when it comes to razors. You will notice that most of the successful veteran razor makers primarily stay with the more simple steels like 1095 & O-1...but they do dabble in the exotics & laminates from time to time as well. I still send my stuff out to a professional to HT & use the stock removal method personally. I have so much to learn that I feel like I'm still on a pacifier....jump in, the water is fine.