Thread: TI Sheffield Steel Vs. Evide Sonnant "singing razor" for first Straight Razor?

sheesh...and I thought the choices for my first razor was getting narrowed down!!

Anyway, the Sheffield is getting out of my price range, but I would rather spend $130 on a razor I will like than $90.00 on one that I wont like. I am only looking at 6/8" razors.

On this choice I would go with the Singing Razor. Lynn

Confusing isnt it. There are so many types of steel that it boggles the mind. We are users, not metalurgists. Well I can tell you this much.

Sheffield steel comes from Sheffield, England. Solingen steel comes from Solingen, Germany. Both steels are somewhat similar and extremely high quality. The reason is because to carry the name of Sheffield or Solingen means that the steel was made to comply with very strict codes and requirements. It is also important to know that the finest cutting steels, through out history, have come from Sheffield, England or Solingen, Germany. This includes not only razors, but swords, knifes, planes, chisels, wood carving tools and many others. I know this because I am a woodworker and restorer of fine wood working tools. The next best steels and cutting tools are from the good ole USA. The steels and cutting tools from USA are at least equal to the finest ever if you are talking about cutting tools made from the 1880's to the mid 1940's. If your razor is an American company, it probably from Sheffield or Solingen, but not always. I know that TI uses Sheffield steel, but they are a French company. They purchase billets of steel from Sheffield steel foundries.

There are other steels such as swedish steel and silver steel, I think that they are the same. I asked classicshaving.com what silver steel was and they told me that that silver steel has just a trace of silver in it to polish up more brightly. When I read about TI using Sheffield steel because it polishes brighter, I am thinking of some similarity.

There are other steels also. For example I have 2 vintage razors that are stamped "manganese steel". I have looked this up on the internet and get a lot of nonsense. One of these razors shave very well for me and the other one sucks.

I have seen reference to Puma razors on ebay that say "Puma Steel". I dont know what that is, but my guess is that it is Solingen steel.

And on and on it goes. My guess is that you will not be disapointed with the Sheffield or Solingen steel. Especially if we are talking about TI or Dovo. Both have thier following. I like both Dovo and TI.

Now that I have really made the water muddy, I say go for the Sheffield and dont think too much.

Tradionally "silver steel" (typically a british term) is a very high carbon steel, higher than the usual tool steel and has high properties and is often used in machine shop cutting tools. There are various allying elements added to all steels like chromium, vanadium, manganese, etc.... to give different properties. Carbon directly affects the hardness and durability of the cutting edge. I think you will find that silver is nothing more than a marketing name applied in it, not an element commonly found in it's content.


Tony (as a matter of fact I am a rocket scientist) Miller