Thread: Question on Henckels

I do hope that Mike Blue will stumble upon this discussion as he has forgotten more than many will ever know about steel and it's properties.

If he does; he might Slap this Old Redneck Country Boy for what he is about to say.

It is my belief that J. A. Henkel took out a patent for a process of using liquid nitrogen and a special enclosure to slowly lower the temperature of the steel inside to 300 degs below zero. Then the steel was allowed to 'sit' and then it was 'Ice Forged'.

I saw a special several years ago on television and this process was showed. They were able to use a micron microscope to show how under the Extreme Cold the molecules in the metal ever so slowly changed and more or less aligned.

The process is still in use today.

I 'believe' that this process is what deviates simple Stainless Steel from Inox.

I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again, but to the best of my limited knowledge this is correct.

Cuda I believe that is one of the best descriptions I've read on the subject.

Yes, Inox is French origin meaning inoxydable/non rusting. Rostfrei is the German equivalent literally meaning rust free. Both commonly are taken to mean stainless steel when related to cutlery.

Bob

This will explain that Friodur is a name registered to Henckels used on their cutlery that is ice hardened. Just scroll down to the Manufacturing section J. A. Henckels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

Bob

From another source/please note the date and who patented the process;

Zwilling J.A. Henckels: Friodur Ice-Hardened Steel

I hope this helps

Originally Posted by cudarunner

From another source/please note the date and who patented the process;

Zwilling J.A. Henckels: Friodur Ice-Hardened Steel

I hope this helps

NOt having tried one of the Friodur blades yet are they a kind of stainless steel. I have tried the stainless steel blades of other brands and knives with no luck in honing and holding an edge. Of course you understand that when there are this many names for something it gets confusing to some of us.

Originally Posted by rhensley

NOt having tried one of the Friodur blades yet are they a kind of stainless steel. I have tried the stainless steel blades of other brands and knives with no luck in honing and holding an edge. Of course you understand that when there are this many names for something it gets confusing to some of us.

There are currently 4 Friodur Kitchen and Meat Shop Knives residing at the Boars Nest including one that I purchased about 1977. For last Christmas I purchased a used Friodur Knife set from Flea Bay for my son and recently a nice Friodur Chef's Knife for my youngest daughter. All take a Great Edge and Hold That Edge!

That's not counting the 3 Friodur Straight Razors that reside here and all of them take a super edge and are among my favorite shavers.

I've helped a member buy I believe 3 Friodur Straights and they are his favorite shavers.

Everything about this age Old Art is Personal Preferences.

Thanks for info on the Friodur knives. I currently us the Forschner kitchen knives. I think I'll try one of the Henckels next time I go to Smokey Mountain Knifes works. I've been using these mainly because the butchers in my area use them. The stay sharp but a bear to hone. I look forward to some day going to a meet and maybe seeing and talking to other members in person. Again Thanks.

No doubt Henckels patented the ice hardening process but all of the German made stainless steel razors I have all trumpet ice hardening somewhere on the blade.

An interesting take on the discovery of stainless steel Portland Works: Portland Works and the Invention of 'Stainless Steel' . Somehow the razor I have that is made of Firth Stainless takes and maintains a good edge and pre dates the Henckels patent on "ice hardening" .

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

No doubt Henckels patented the ice hardening process but all of the German made stainless steel razors I have all trumpet ice hardening somewhere on the blade.

An interesting take on the discovery of stainless steel Portland Works: Portland Works and the Invention of 'Stainless Steel' . Somehow the razor I have that is made of Firth Stainless takes and maintains a good edge and pre dates the Henckels patent on "ice hardening" .

Bob

I doubt that ALL German stainless steel razors are ice hardened.

Aust, for example does not mention anything on his website about ice-hardening, and I don't recall Dovo stating that they apply this process for all their stainless steel razors.


B.