Thread: Question about steel used by Puma

I have got 2 Pumas, both having Friseur Freund No. 1 etched on the blade.
One is a 5/8 from ebay, the other a 6/8 from JoshEarl. The 6/8 has amongst others "best Puma Silversteel" on the tang, the 5/8 doesn't.

Both are very sharp but the 6/8 is a very smooth shaver while the 5/8 feels much harsher on the face though the shaving results are more or less similar.

That's why I wondered whether Puma has used different kinds of steel for their razors. Does anyone know?

Kees,

Now you have me worried. How about the one which reads "Made From Kayser Ellison Co's Best Sheffield Silver Steel?" And where does Swedish Steel enter into this, or doesn't it?

Mysteries abound!

Kees,

I've only honed a few Pumas to date, so I can't say for sure about the steel types. The one I sold you was challenging for me to hone, though. I remember working on it for several sessions, and you even did a little more work on it after you got it.

Could it be that your other Puma just needs a little refinement? You might consider dropping back to a coarser hone (1K-4K) in case there's some microchipping at the edge or something.

I generally have only gotten that scratchy shave feeling from INOX razors.

Josh

Originally Posted by Kees

I have got 2 Pumas, both having Friseur Freund No. 1 etched on the blade.
One is a 5/8 from ebay, the other a 6/8 from JoshEarl. The 6/8 has amongst others "best Puma Silversteel" on the tang, the 5/8 doesn't.

Both are very sharp but the 6/8 is a very smooth shaver while the 5/8 feels much harsher on the face though the shaving results are more or less similar.

That's why I wondered whether Puma has used different kinds of steel for their razors. Does anyone know?

Hi Josh,

This one had its fair share of corrosion that I honed out using a 1500 and 5000 Shapton, it is sharp, pops hairs but the feel on the face is very different. Rest assured, the one you sold me is miles better. I cannot believe that the very different feel of the two razors is only a matter of size. The one you sold being 6/8, the one from ebay being 5/8. And yes, I have been going back and forth between high and low grit hones.

Eventually it got better again after using a small Thuringen hone. I tried that because there's still a minimal frowning part in the 1/3 nearest to the toe.

Both get me BBS but with a different feel altogether.

Hi Gents. Just picked up a Puma Friseur Freund No1 4/8.
Mine says made in Germany from Pumasteel very fiently on the rear of the tang.
There is also a red bordered yellow transfer on the rear scale which reads " The unusually smooth shave of the "Puma" razor depends on the steel being forged twice IE hammered and hammered again."
hope this helps M

It could be it depended who they bought their blanks from or whether they actually used different steels. I know some say pumaster and some say puma steel and I guess some say other things and we know towards the end Dovo made their razors so factor in the Dovo Models and their suppliers and whether they periodically just changed what was printed on the razor and whether it really meant anything and you have a confusing situation there.

I vote we all send our Puma's in to be melted down and analyzed so we'll have it from the horses mouth. What no takers? Har, har.

I wonder if there is a difference between "best puma steel" and "best pumaster steel"? Only the most experienced cats work on the pumaster version? [just kidding]

All I can say for sure in having a small collection of Puma razors is that the ones marked Kayser-Ellison steel are junk. They will nick even the shaver with the best technique and won't hold an edge at all, cause infections, death disease and destruction. Since I have a good heart and I love all of you guys I will take all of them so marked that you have and I will even pay a nominal fee for them.

Oh! Ok I'll aviod those ones then
thanks