Thread: quality of the steel

Back to the Steel, I would think that 52100 steel, (Ball Bearing) properly heat treated would make an excellent razor all around and may try it in the future, yes I like to tinker.

Originally Posted by Learner

If anything else develops I ... would like to know.

Hang around this joint. Yes, there is more to learn working with a couple of honemeisters than anywhere else. HOWEVER - until you get to a meet, there are plenty of nuggets to be dug up in the stropping and honing forums that will better prepare you for a meeting and, even still, can change your game.

Returning to my original thought that there are differences in the quality of the steel in various blades - I kept working on the underperforming Marke Birko and got it to pass the
hanging hair test. It provided vary satisfying shaves for two days; the third day resulted in uncomfortable pulling (yes, I stropped it) The Boker and the Henkles fine edges lasts
and lasts.

Possibly overhoning.
Check under magnification for a rolled edge. If you dont have magnification, check using a q tip by pushing it from spine to off the edge. If it pulls cotton off , you have a rolled edge.
Or a bad stropping as well

Originally Posted by FAL

Back to the Steel, I would think that 52100 steel, (Ball Bearing) properly heat treated would make an excellent razor all around and may try it in the future, yes I like to tinker.

The bit in red is crucial for any steel used for razors.

I don't know anything about metallurgy but I have seen a couple different razors. I've always had a thing for French razors. But I can say tha that few of them if any compare to the English, German, or Japanese I've had. I wanted them to, but they didn't. You see a razors worth when you hone it. Generally speaking, the Japanese I've had outperform the others. There are exceptions but in general that has been my experience. I'll let someone else explain why that might be.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I don't know anything about metallurgy but I have seen a couple different razors. I've always had a thing for French razors. But I can say tha that few of them if any compare to the English, German, or Japanese I've had. I wanted them to, but they didn't. You see a razors worth when you hone it. Generally speaking, the Japanese I've had outperform the others. There are exceptions but in general that has been my experience. I'll let someone else explain why that might be.

I'd hazard a guess the Jp razors were newer & didn't need restoration or were you comparing identical vintages.?

French razors can be a joy to use as long as they don't have rusty old bevels but that applies to all razors.

I have bought 4 different hand held microscopes, including the Veho, in a quest to see what is changing when honing. I'm pretty sure I haven't overhoned. I know about the straight pin test.
Had I overhoned I would expect bad results from the first shave. The bad stropping is a possibility except that I strop the Boker & the Henkles with the same action as the Birko. I have
watched most of the stropping videos on You Tube. I'm certainly not saying that I think I'm anywhere close to being an expert; I'm learning and will continue to learn for the rest of my
life. Thank all who have offered thoughts - listening to and considering them leads to improvement.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I'd hazard a guess the Jp razors were newer & didn't need restoration or were you comparing identical vintages.?

French razors can be a joy to use as long as they don't have rusty old bevels but that applies to all razors.

No. I am just making a general statement based on the razors that I've owned. None of the French were restored and a few of them are brand new. They are good, I wouldn't suggest they aren't. But of the half dozen Japanese I own, not one has had any issues. I had one brand new TI at one point that would not hold an edge more than a few shaves. I have a Hart that sadly under-performs for the money it cost. There's potentially a lemon in any bunch but in my experience thus far, I have not seen a Japanese one. I'm sure someone has at some point.

Originally Posted by Learner

I have bought 4 different hand held microscopes, including the Veho, in a quest to see what is changing when honing. I'm pretty sure I haven't overhoned. I know about the straight pin test.
Had I overhoned I would expect bad results from the first shave. The bad stropping is a possibility except that I strop the Boker & the Henkles with the same action as the Birko. I have
watched most of the stropping videos on You Tube. I'm certainly not saying that I think I'm anywhere close to being an expert; I'm learning and will continue to learn for the rest of my
life. Thank all who have offered thoughts - listening to and considering them leads to improvement.

A lot of people will insist that the microscope is mostly nonsense. But I use one all the time and its a tremendous help to me. Once I started to really watch what was happening at each level and began to understand it a little more, the doors flew open. At that point, it was much more clear what I should be expecting to accomplish at each grit. And for me, that was half the battle....just knowing what I should expect to be doing at each step. If you can't get to that point, you don't know when to move on and when to stay put.