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I wanted to know if any of you guys notice any difference in max attainable sharpness, edge holding and chip resistance, smoothness and so on between todays mass production stainless razors and carbon, like dovos for example? What do you prefer and why?
All I have are vintage stainless steel and regular carbon steel razors. The single exception is a modern Revisor carbon steel razor. I would be hard pressed to find any huge difference between the two steels as far has how sharp you can make them, edge holding or chip resistance or smoothness when shaving. With stainless you can get away with being a little careless in your cleaning and drying. Stainless will still show rust stains if abused as it does contain a bit of carbon in its make up. Personally I would favour stainless steel solely for it's ease of maintainance.
Bob
Sharp and shave ready will be determined by the man on the hones, as long as it's a reputable blade, old or new, Tc
So there is no practical difference here today?
Yes there is one practical difference today and in the past. Stainless steel is far more forgiving of poor maintenance, making sure the blade and scales are completely dry before storing than carbon steel. It is simply more corrosion "resistant" than carbon steels. Stainless was developed specifically for that reason in the beginning of the 20th century.Quote:
Originally Posted by jigane
Bob
Yeah I have had a dovo stainless for like 10 years and it has been "stainless" to this very day. Just wanted to know if there was any difference today.
In regular knives there is BIG difference in wear and common behaviour between carbon like 1095 and a stainless like s30v. And so on. I can sharpen a 1095 blade up to "shaving" in about 10 seconds on my sharpmaker and a s30v blade takes like an hour on the sharpmaker.
But maybe they use only a few selected steels for razors (like sandvik 13c26/uddeholm aeb-l, originally developed for razors and only that), imo not all knife steels are suitable for razors, due to coarse grained structure and and maybe large carbides and maybe brittleness/chippyness.
Don't know how true it is. The story I heard was that back in the day in Sheffield they tested many different steel alloys, most had no special properties and ended up on a slag heap. Walking past the heap months later someone saw one piece that hadn't rusted like the rest. Then went back through the alloys again to find the right one.
The properties/qualities you want in a knife blade are not necessarily onw you want in a straight razor blade. Straight razor making is a very mature technology so whiz bang new alloys probably are over kill but a good selling point/bragging right imo.Quote:
Originally Posted by jigane
Bob
No, stainless steel was developed in Sheffield deliberately for a very specific reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by dmnc
Stainless Steel Sheffield Cutlery History and Information
Stainless steel has been around longer than most people, even straight razor users, think. I have a Firth Stainless straight razor that was made in Sheffield circa 1930s and sold by the T Eaton Company in their stores in Canada.
Bob
The Discovery of Stainless Steel
Stand corrected, but here is a bit more
Yes, there always is a bit more to it. People in several different countries were working on developing stainless steel and did succeed in doing so around the same time period. The type of stainless alloy did differ I believe though.Quote:
Originally Posted by dmnc
Bob
Indeed. That was basically what that link said. Although my story was in there linked with the man you mentioned ad a romantic low possibility for him. Still like it, heard it from a man in a pub in Sheffield. Probably just a good urban legend.
Yea, good as any and besides life would be dull without urban legends.
Bob
From "The Dominion Saturday, March 27, 1915" which I found online but cannot remember where any more. I have made an enlargement of the section of interest:
Attachment 224440
WHICH stainless alloy and WHICH carbon? For comparison, you must first lock coordinates.
as someone who hones and shaves though- my preference is most always for carbon steel razors.
I have only owned vintage stainlees blades and all the ones I shaved with were great shavers they felt a little different to hone but the final edge was as good as any carbon blade, I recently sold a vintage blade a Ed Wushtof stainless steel razor it was an exceptional shaver.
http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/w...i.jpg~original
The Dominion was the local paper here in Wellington, NZ. Not counting China, who besides Dovo mass produce a stainless razor?Quote:
Originally Posted by kaptain_zero
Wouldn't say mass produce, but Aust certainly has stainless option.
Boker makes a stainless steel SR too.
Bob
