Thread: Carbon steel and stainless steel

Can two razors that are basically the same other than the fact that one is carbon steel and the other is stainless steel be made to shave the same?

I get nicks and cuts on the stainless that I don't get on the carbon and am left wondering what happened.

I am guessing they can. Use both types blades and find little difference. If they are both shaving smoothly for you could it be that the stainless one is a tad bit sharper to account for the nicks and cuts?

Bob

Could you provide more information on what the honing process for each was and what the razors are?

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Could you provide more information on what the honing process for each was and what the razors are?

I use Shapton stones

1000 Grit:
40 circles counterclockwise with pressure
40 circles clockwise with pressure
10-15 X strokes without pressure
thumb test

4000 Grit:
40 circles each direction with pressure
40 circles each direction without pressure
10 X strokes without pressure
test arm hair

8000 Grit:
15 X strokes without pressure
test arm hair
see if edge takes shine

16000 Grit:
10 X strokes no pressure
look for high polish look
test arm hair

.50 micron spray on cotton strop:
100 strokes

.25 micron spray on cotton strop:
100 strokes

That's basically it. I just don't know why my Dovo Best Quality 5/8 carbon steel gives me a near perfect shave and my Henckels Friodur 5/8 stainless steel gives me a good shave but with nicks and cuts. Both razors feel the same when I move my thumb across the edge.

have you checked the stainless edge with magnification? What shape is the bevel and edge in?

That sounds to me like a lot of stropping on the spray. What kind of spray are you using (I ask because I personally find stopping on diamond spray to leave an edge that is harsher than I like, but I find chrome ox can be very smoothing for an edge, and I have no experience with other stopping compounds)? Have you tried the Friodur with less or no stropping on the spray? Extra stopping on plain leather?

CaliforniaCajun,

My stainless razors (Dovo EnVogue, Henckels Friodur and Wusthof) are among my best shavers.

I hone them no differently than my carbon steel razors (I use a 1, 3, 8, 12 Naniwa SuperStone sequence).

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

I doubt you will ever get them to feel "the same" as all quality razors seem to have their own personality, but you can get them both to be damn fine shavers. Stainless's abrasion resistance takes a bit more time at the stones, but once you get them there you will learn to really like them as that abrasion resistance works not only against the stones, works well on the face too!. As mentioned above, magnification is really your friend to ensure you are not starting out with a chippy bevel. Take your time, give the razor it's needed "love" on the stones and it will reward you with a individual personality that I'm sure you will come to appreciate when it comes to mowing down whiskers.

Many may disagree with me but I have found Friodur steel extremely hard to set a bevel. Once you do it is crazy sharp but I have moved on THINKING I have set it when I really haven't. Cryogenic silver steel takes me much more work to set the bevel.

I'll probably re-set the bevel on one, even though there is stickiness when I move my thumb laterally across the edge.

I tried reading the library section about bevels but I can't stand reading anything that sounds complicated. I went to college but practical information has to be Sandbox I or forget it.

I found a video of Lynn Abrams setting a bevel with a Shapton 1000 and it sounds doable. I watched it several times and will try it. I will keep the blade 30 degrees with the heel in front while on the surface because when I don't the blade isn't as sharp for me.

We'll see what happens. I am a notoriously slow learner.