Thread: stainless steel razors

Originally Posted by beluga

In a conversation with Mr. Aust, he once mentioned that he prefers carbon steel, and I suspect that the cult status of Friodurs may be explained with the ice-hardening that these blades went through and that gave them (literally) an edge over other stainless steel razor.

B.

Of the vintage Solingen made stainless steel razors that I have, all iirc correctly say somewhere on them ice hardened/eis hartung. The only Vintage stainless that I have that is not so marked is an English George Ibberson marked Firth Stainless. I have no idea if current made stainless blades are ice hardened though.

Bob

My 1¢
I have and shave with stainless razors by HESS, WAPI, Wapicopy, Aesculap, British, no name, medical, and a Friodor.
Some are military from field dressing kits.

All, of them, when properly honed, take as good an edge as a carbon steel blade. It required extra time to hone them but it was worth it.
Developments in Cryogenic hardening have reduced grain size also.
YMMV but honing it the answer!
~Richard