Thread: Stainless steel razors on Shapton Pros.

Originally Posted by mrjin

I'm pretty sure the geometry is right, I know what I'm doing. The edge is still popping my finest hair on my hand easily but not as good as I would expect it to be. It looks like the Shapton Pro 30K cannot handle the hard stainless steel(Titan claimed it to be HRC 70, I would say even if it's not 70, it would still be in the high 60s, it skids a bit even on diamond plates) as I see much less swarfs than carbon steels.

I suspect if I strop on 0.1micron diamonds, I can bring it up with more or less 10 strokes. Have to pull out the strop though, haven't use it for quite a while.

The Shapton 30K glass is a polisher. I have to have a pretty much finished edge to notice any improvement from it. I find that my coticules can put a really nice edge on even the hardest steel and then if I go to a Vermio or Pierre la Lune it gets better. There is no question the bevel gets its best polish from the Shapton, but quite frankly, I don’t notice any improvement in the shave I get from the other finishers.

Titan Razors can't handle that edge they barely shave

To be honest most razors can't handle a 30k edge, Want to see what it is really capable of find a NY made double hollow preferably made in the Little Valley area
They are cheap and easy to find, the steel and temper can show you what a real 30k edge is

There are other singular razors that can hold that type of edge but not brands or areas like the Little Valley area brands they are your best bet of getting one that will match that hone

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Titan Razors can't handle that edge they barely shave

To be honest most razors can't handle a 30k edge, Want to see what it is really capable of find a NY made double hollow preferably made in the Little Valley area
They are cheap and easy to find, the steel and temper can show you what a real 30k edge is

There are other singular razors that can hold that type of edge but not brands or areas like the Little Valley area brands they are your best bet of getting one that will match that hone

I think my Dovos and Boker can actually handle that but only 5 to 7 strokes, no more. It can be over done so easily that I tried with 10 laps on the first go and the edge was full of micro chips just after ~10 shaves.

Could you please share maybe one or two examples? There ain't many stores selling straight razors in Australia, I'm not even aware of any physical stores at all. So currently I'm playing a hit or miss game.

Originally Posted by mrjin

I think my Dovos and Boker can actually handle that but only 5 to 7 strokes, no more. It can be over done so easily that I tried with 10 laps on the first go and the edge was full of micro chips just after ~10 shaves.

Could you please share maybe one or two examples? There ain't many stores selling straight razors in Australia, I'm not even aware of any physical stores at all. So currently I'm playing a hit or miss game.

Yeah your not going to find one in a store
No your Dovo and Boker are not nearly as good off a 30k as the fine grained steel found in Vintage NY razors

Look for brands like

Kinfolks
Cattaraugus
Thistle
Olean
Genco / Geneva

Look for the NY stamps, this isn't hard and they are often quite cheap on the used markets

Not sure where you got the idea of 5-7 strokes on a 30K besides on my vids, keep in mind that is after a proper set up on the full grit ladder

YUou mighty also try what we call a Micro-Bevel after the 15 or 16k

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yeah your not going to find one in a store
No your Dovo and Boker are not nearly as good off a 30k as the fine grained steel found in Vintage NY razors

Look for brands like

Kinfolks
Cattaraugus
Thistle
Olean
Genco / Geneva

Look for the NY stamps, this isn't hard and they are often quite cheap on the used markets

Not sure where you got the idea of 5-7 strokes on a 30K besides on my vids, keep in mind that is after a proper set up on the full grit ladder

YUou mighty also try what we call a Micro-Bevel after the 15 or 16k

Thanks for sharing. I literally don't know many SR brands. Dovo was the first on search results and was a bummer. I'm happy with my Boker, I'm pretty sure there are better ones but you know, I don't have many to compare. Actually I'm playing a hit or miss game. The recent Le Jaguar was bummer too.

Regarding the idea of 5-7 strokes on a 30K, it was actually from my trial and error. I wasn't expecting it going to work for me at all, it was just to get the the bottom of the rabbit hole. Indeed I have a full set of Shapton Pro from 320 to 30K. Initially I thought Shapton Pro 12K would do but my face said otherwise. So pulled the trigger for the 30K. Tried a magical10 strokes at the first time, which turned out too many as edge was full of micro chips just after ~10 shaves. Reduced to 3, not quit there... It was a surprise that it worked, as lots of people saying it would not. I knew it before hand but still decided to kill my itch.

Haven't tried the micro-bevel, I guess will try it with one of my 3 new ones that's still on the way.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yeah your not going to find one in a store
No your Dovo and Boker are not nearly as good off a 30k as the fine grained steel found in Vintage NY razors

Look for brands like

Kinfolks
Cattaraugus
Thistle
Olean
Genco / Geneva

Look for the NY stamps, this isn't hard and they are often quite cheap on the used markets

Not sure where you got the idea of 5-7 strokes on a 30K besides on my vids, keep in mind that is after a proper set up on the full grit ladder

YUou mighty also try what we call a Micro-Bevel after the 15 or 16k

Let's not forget George W. Korn (Little Valley) KaBar (Olean) and Robeson (Rochester) all cut from the same cloth as those listed above and all fantastic hard carbon steel; some of the best EVER for razors in my opinion.

It also bears saying that not only was.the steel of top quality in these maker's razors but so was.the craftsmanship. This was a golden age and golden place for cutlery.

I feel the Clauss razors out of Ohio, the same

Yeah, good razors from them also. Really any American razors from the very late 1800s to the early (pre WWII but mainly pre WWI) 1900s is usually pretty good BUT especially from that Little Valley-Rochester-Olean-Geneva trapazoid.

You know some pretty good stuff came out of Worcester Mass also. Also Shumate in St Louis is a contender. I love that Tungsten and Tungsteel series.

Originally Posted by outback

I feel the Clauss razors out of Ohio, the same

Wow, I just realized that I do have a vintage Clauss razor, which I don't use much but rather oil & put it in a plastic box. I should probably pick it up and try shaving with it.

Originally Posted by outback

I feel the Clauss razors out of Ohio, the same

Absolutely! Love those Clauss razors! One of my favorites to hone and shave with.