Any Tips for Honing Inox?

I recently picked up a pretty nice Fridour razor with "Inox" stamped on the shank. I know that means some species of stainless steel. I've also heard the Fridour stainless razors are among the best of that type.

I've done some searching but have not found any specific suggestions for how honing stainless would be different from carbon steel other than the amount of effort or time involved.

So do I hone this the same, just expect it to take longer? Or are there some other tips to keep in mind when honing a stainless?

You do it the same way as a carbon. As long as you get a proper bevel set, you should be good to go.

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Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

You do it the same way as a carbon. As long as you get a proper bevel set, you should be good to go.

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+1. The only thing I do differently and only when the razor is not quite there is to add 3-5 strokes on the 8K and finishing stone.

Have fun,

Lynn

I've only honed one stainless razor, so take this with a grain of salt until one of the more experienced guys chimes in..! EDIT: Ok, he chimed in while I was typing..! :D

I pretty much approached it in the same way as a carbon steel razor. I set the bevel on a 1k Shapton, did the TNT to see the bevel was developing and made sure I could shave arm hair easily at all points along the blade.

Then I moved on to the 4k and watched the edge through a loupe to make sure the satin look of the 1k bevel was fully and evenly replaced by the almost mirror finish of the 4k. I checked to see if I could still shave arm hair at skin level.

Then I moved onto the 8k and looked through the loupe to see that the edge became fully mirror polished. Then I checked to see if I could shave arm hairs 1mm above the skin.

Then onto the 16k where I did 30 strokes rather than my usual 20 for a carbon razor and moved onto my finisher, which in this case was a Maruichi.

For a carbon razor I usually do 25 strokes with a medium slurry, 25 with a light slurry and 25 with water, then I do Glen's "25 strokes to dry" where you put the thinnest film of water on the hone and 25 strokes is enough to dry it out.

All I did differently here was and extra 25 strokes with water. So it was 25 with medium slurry, 25 with light slurry, 50 with water then "25 strokes to dry".

In a nutshell, basically the same but with slightly more strokes on the finishers! Having not done one before I just remembered Lynn saying that more strokes on the finisher works well, so I added more in. That worked very well for me.

Hope thats of some help.

Just like the big guy and Stu just said, you might need a bit more on the high grits...

thanks everyone. I'm glad to know there is not some additional stone or stroke or technique involved. This razor is in very nice shape, pretty much NOS, so I think it will likely turn out nice.

I've honed maybe 20 razors from various starting points, but no stainless steel so this will be an expansion of the hobby for me!

I'll let you know how it turns out.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Just like the big guy and Stu just said, you might need a bit more on the high grits...

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...and the lowest grit.
It might take a little longer to set the bevel.

I have been wondering if stainless responds better to synthetic stones better than naturals.? Does anyone find that to be true?

I gotta say...I love this razor! Gave it a good honing, following all your advice that it would take more strokes, which it did. I got it pretty nice, but decided to drop back down to the Naniwa 3K and give it a short series up the progression to the 12K and CrOx pasted strop.

This AM I shaved again with it, all three passes, and it's just lovely. Very smooth. Cut closely, but it didn't "feel" sharp--just cut nicely.

Thanks All!

Lawson,

I really like my Friodurs too. The stainless (stain resistant) steels tend to be more wear resistant with their high chrome content, so as the experts said they can require more strokes on the stone The SS razors can also be a bit softer than the very hard high carbon steels, so it's kind of one of those deals where you have 6 on one hand, half a horse on the other. :)

Unlike the meisters and experts here who have made honing a bit of a science, I tend to be more of a rubber of steel on stone, testing edges with thumb nails or other thumb parts when the time seems to be right. Ask me in a few years if I have learned enough to differentiate between the honing requirements of SS and HC razors.

I think the dementia will hold off long enough for my being able to at least remember what a razor is. :confused:

:beer2:

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Originally Posted by Kingfish

I have been wondering if stainless responds better to synthetic stones better than naturals.? Does anyone find that to be true?

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I have not really noticed any difference in honing them on either natural or synthetic stones. The main difference I really notice with Stainless razors is that there is a more grainey type feeling or a little more resistance that comes from the Stainless on the stones than when honing carbon razors. You feel this more on the lower grit stones than on the 8K and up.

Have fun,

Lynn

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Originally Posted by Lynn

I have not really noticed any difference in honing them on either natural or synthetic stones. The main difference I really notice with Stainless razors is that there is a more grainey type feeling or a little more resistance that comes from the Stainless on the stones than when honing carbon razors. You feel this more on the lower grit stones than on the 8K and up.

Have fun,

Lynn

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That grainy feeling I noticed--it was so pronounced and gritty, I actually kept stopping and thinking there was some kind of debris on the hone, which I then kept rinsing off. After a while I figured it must just be a peculiar feature of stainless steel…this is reassuring to hear you mention!

Test shaved this stainless Fridour AGAIN tonight--I am really impressed with how smooth it feels. It just doesn't feel like a sharp edge on my skin, but it cuts hair! I also wonder--hope?-- if maybe my honing has improved a notch?