Thread: titanium straight razor

Didn't the Romans make razors out of brass or bronze? Maybe titanium is the answer to all our problems both personal and scientific.

Anyone willing to tell TI they've set off on the wrong foot with their new production?

Titanium is generally (falsely) regarded as a "wonder metal". People have been suggesting that it would be a sooooperior metal for making swords too, on the sword forum I frequent, but people who work with titanium all discount this as mere fancy. It is way too hard to work with, and apparently it's pretty easy to ruin drill bits and other tools on the titanium when you try to work on it. Although it's probably possible to make something which looks like a straigth razor from titanium, the process of making it would most likely make it one of the most expensive razors in history, I think.

As has already been stated, titanium should be considered a better version of aluminium. Great for some uses, not so great for others. Aluminium alloys can be hardened/heat treated too, yet I can't see anyone suggesting making an aluminium straight razor, or even an aluminium knife?

(There are swords and knives made from aluminium, but they are all blunt training weapons or so called "wasters".)

Could you imagine grinding a titanium razor blank on the present day machinery used to grind a steel razor blank? I envision the titanium blank just moving its metal in the direction of the grinding wheels until it's fully feathered out. It would remind me of that liquid metal character in the movie "Termanator 2".

I have worked with titanium quite a bit, and lemme just say that no one in their right mind would do a titanium blade. It is EXTREMELY difficult to work with, and as minstrel said, you ruin quite a bit of bits, blades, and tools trying to get it to do what you want. It has this nifty property that it welds itself back together...can you say pita? In other words, if you start cutting it, you actually are re-cutting the same material as it welds back.

I would rather take a good ol' stainless razor and dip the whole thing in vaseline than even attempt a titanium straight. Just stropping it would be a nightmare- I wonder if it would even do anything

A titanium frameback with a steel blade might work. Might be concerns about different wear rates between the back and the edge when honing, but it could be done. Not sure if galvanic corrosion might be an issue.

I've been using titanium as a backing for my MOP and abalone scales. It's an awful PITA to work with, just like everyone else said. The stuff heats up instantly with any abrasion. When you're grinding, you have to use welding goggles because it's so bright. It burns up good belts in no time flat and dull belts just roll the metal around. The only reason I use it is because it's got such a good stiffness to weight ratio - much better than copper or nickel silver for a liner. But it does suck to work with it - and it's expensive. If I never worked with the stuff again, it wouldn't break my heart.