Thread: New Steel vs Vintage Steel

I have mostly vintage and only 3 modern ones, and after 1 year of shaving with a straight razor, I can't really tell a difference. I can feel a difference between grinds,but not between old and new steel. I guess this will come in a few more years of shaving with straights.

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

I also have only vintage, so I can't comment. But I'd like to stay tuned to this thread. very interesting.

........ +1

I have a mix of both and it is hard to say. If a newly mfgd razor is honed "right" I get a shave equal to a vintage razor that is honed "right." OTOH, if they ain't honed right I don't get as good a shave. I've had vintage razors that honed up easily and new razors that were likewise. Than again I've had some that were tough to get 'there'.

As far as knives go, my old Case XX (1940-1964) or Case Tested XX (1920-1940) seem to me to be superior in ease of sharpening, edge holding and cutting ability than their later production (after 1970 or so) and superior to other brands such as Puma, Buck, Gerber, Queen ........ etcetera. IME.

So many variables,

i have both and love both. I can feel difference between different grinds and blade width but not in the quality of the steel. My absolute favourite is a new blade, but it's results are variable day to day due to the idiot holding the thing….

Enjoy

I know that steel made early 1900 and before 1900 was a softer steel I guess this would make for a kinder/smoother shave. The downside for me though is my stubble is like cheese wire so I seem to need to refresh vintage blades quicker!

It's a very bold statement to make blanket assessments of metal alloys made in different mfg facilities and forges across multiple nations and continents-regardless of time frame.

now isn't it?

I like the old stuff, but have only experienced one modern and it was rost-frei, which generally detracts somewhat from high-carbon steel qualities.

I'm not so sure we can accurately assess our razors without "blind" testing them. That's the only way to get our "heart" out of our head for a true assessment.

Witness every new shaver comes along posting up and telling us all about the xyz razor he bought. He is emotionally invested in that razor and he's going to _want_ to love it...

lather up!

I agree with Wade. I have primarily vintage razors and they differ substantially between manufacturer and country of origin. I think the only way you could fairly test whether older razors have steel different from modern razors is with a much bigger sample size of razors than most of us own. Phrank, from what I gather, may have enough razors but I suspect the rest of us probably don't.

P.S. I didn't see that Phrank was the OP. That being the case you probably can't tell from comparisons between different manufactures on one to one tests. You'd have to average across a lot of razors to make sure that it isn't just differences in manufacturers that's accounting for what you're noticing. Better yet if you have a bunch of razors of different age from the same manufacturer - compare those but that would just allow you to make a claim that in the case of that manufacturer age matters. If you're doing a large sample with numerous manufacturers you may be able to draw a more general conclusion but with much less certainty.

Good question Phrank...

I do prefer the 'vintage blades'...personally I prefer the heavier, older Sheffield wedge type profile than the more modern lighter hollow grounds. I prefer Sheffield over Solingen or American steel. When honing I think a Coticule / Escher finish on the 'softer Sheffield's' creates a superior edge. With the German and American steels I think a JNAT finish is hard to beat.

Of course this all subjective and anecdotal, based on my personal experience only, but I do have enough different razors to have an opinion. Metallurgically speaking I don't have a clue...

Then...having said this...I'll pick up one of my Fillarmonica's or Puma's or Bokers, a Fritz Bracht Dovo, or even a nice Torrey, and I'll swear it's the best shave I've ever had!

So...who the 'F...' knows?

WP34

Originally Posted by SuperSpeedRacer

I agree with Wade. I have primarily vintage razors and they differ substantially between manufacturer and country of origin. I think the only way you could fairly test whether older razors have steel different from modern razors is with a much bigger sample size of razors than most of us own. Phrank, from what I gather, may have enough razors but I suspect the rest of us probably don't.

P.S. I didn't see that Phrank was the OP. That being the case you probably can't tell from comparisons between different manufactures on one to one tests. You'd have to average across a lot of razors to make sure that it isn't just differences in manufacturers that's accounting for what you're noticing. Better yet if you have a bunch of razors of different age from the same manufacturer - compare those but that would just allow you to make a claim that in the case of that manufacturer age matters. If you're doing a large sample with numerous manufacturers you may be able to draw a more general conclusion but with much less certainty.

Hahaha - I have 23 blades, a nice mix of sizes, ages and grinds, no two are alike, you'd have to look to other members if you're looking for a substantial amount of razors of similar manufacture and grind to test.

Guess my question was a tad more of a sweeping generalization than I meant it. I like the idea that for a razor to have lasted 100+ years, it was obviously a keeper, and some blades made today may be around as well 100 years from now(thanks niftyshaving). Also, the idea of the steel mellowing with age made some sense.

And of course personal preference, the psychological factor of favoring one over another.

So, to be clearer, it seems with the blades I have, for instance, the vintage TI frameback gave me a much better shave than a new TI Eagle, both 5/8th and both hollow ground. Granted, that's totally subjective, someone else could feel the opposite. So, can there be two camps? An actual preference for old steel vs new, or new vs old, or is it simply a mixed bag, and across the board some are good and some are not so good, regardless of age? There physically is little measurable difference?

Cheers!

edited to add: thanks Wolfpack34 ^ - that kinda sums it up perfectly! '-)

They are all nice....just some are nicer than others