Stainless vs. Carbon Steel

Hello All,

This is my first post so I apologize if this question has been asked a thousand times... I am ready to purchase my first "quality" straight razor and am stuck on stainless vs. carbon steel. I have read that carbon steel sharpens more easily but stainless holds an edge much longer. I am quite confident I can teach myself to sharpen either blade as I work with metal and have a pretty good feel for it, but I would certainly appreciate any input as to if the extra effort to sharpen the stainless is worth it to get more shaves between honing. Any other insights are welcome and appreciated as well. Thank-you.
-Pete M

no big difference as far as I am concerned. Carbon will rust much faster if you do not care for your razor, that's about all I can think of.

I hone them the same, and I take just as careful care of both. I suppose stainless is more stain resistant than carbon, but I've seen them stained and rusted just like carbon blades.

Gentlemen:

Since I don't hone yet, I notice little difference between the stainless and carbon steel razors in almost every way. I strop them the same way. I also clean and dry them the same way, especially to prevent rusting.

Regards,
Obie

I prefer carbon steel simply because it's what I'm used to. My chisels and gouges are carbon steel. The few stainless pocket knives I've had were a bear to sharpen. Granted I may be comparing apples with oranges, but I can't get past that experience. Given the proper care, you'll have few problems with carbon steel razors.

I too was prejudiced against stainless because of my experience with SS versus high carbon steel pocket knives. I am happy to say that my experience with razors has turned me around on stainless. I don't like it better than hi carbon but I have found it to be about as good. Like holli said, I have to take care of one the same as the other and hone them more or less the same too. Might need a bit extra on the SS but nothing to complain about so far IME. Welcome to SRP and check out the SRP Wiki beginner's guide here if you haven't got around to it yet.

Carbon Steel takes a slightly sharper edge because it is not as brittle as stainless. But unless you know how to sharpen, you probably won't even notice.

Pete,

I can't say I have noticed any real differences in use between my stainless (Dovo) blades and my carbon steel ones. The stainless Dovos have a different 'feel' on the face, but then so do the C135 carbon steel TIs.

I maintain all my blades in the same way, and am not experienced enough to have noticed any significant difference when I hone them.

Choose whatever you will be happiest with, or to encourage the onset of SRAD, choose one of each type; after all one razor will get lonely :)

:gl:

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I just bought a old SS str8 and I noticed my carbon steel dovo is much more eazy to get that razor sharp edge on...

Thanks to all who responded, super helpful stuff! Thanks Funkadelyk, the Red Bismark was my top pick in carbon steel. That price is by far the best, I have seen it elsewhere closer to $200. I am going to have to grab it. Thank-you.

I sharpen the stainless a little different, but other than that, not much difference that I can tell.

I've only used Carbon, and from what I know of metal, and how it works in pocket knifes, as well as how Hi carbon is made, I would say stick to the carbon. I actually have heard, and experienced the opposite of your findings. I've found that stainless steel will take an edge more easily, and lose it more easily because it is a softer metal then hi carbon. Hi carbon is very strong and very rigid, so it may take a little more work to sharpen but should hold the edge longer. That's why the japanese used it in swords.

peterm,

I was going to chime in here to give you the benefit of my half vast experience, but since you've made up your mind and are buying a fine product, I'll just leave that carillon unstruck.

good shaving,

:beer2:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freyguy

I've only used Carbon, and from what I know of metal, and how it works in pocket knifes, as well as how Hi carbon is made, I would say stick to the carbon. I actually have heard, and experienced the opposite of your findings. I've found that stainless steel will take an edge more easily, and lose it more easily because it is a softer metal then hi carbon. Hi carbon is very strong and very rigid, so it may take a little more work to sharpen but should hold the edge longer. That's why the japanese used it in swords.

---

The hardness and edge holding qualities of carbon steel are related to the hardening and tempering process - not the steel itself, (generally). If high carbon steel is not hardened properly it can remain soft or become so hard it is brittle. When hardened properly it can remain brittle or if mis-tempered can become soft again; having said that - the same is true of the 440C used in Solingen INOX razors. 440C is a high carbon stain resistant steel that can be hardened to the Rockwell C range that is perfect for a straight razor but the same holds true about mis-tempering it. All things being equal except the 13% or so chromium added to the 440C - the carbon steel will take and maintain a marginally better edge. However; if honed properly the difference isn't great.

Actually, I am interested to hear what you have to say, especially since you possess coveted half vast information. Also, I really splurged and got a Dovo Renaissance stainless in adition to the Bismark so any input you have to offer is a plus. Every where I turn I keep hearing you need at least two shavers and the price was right on both. Hopefully my wife will agree when the packages arrive.

Vintage Blades LLC::Dovo Straight Razors::Dovo Stainless Steel Straight Razors::Dovo "Renaissance" Imitation Ivory, 6/8" Stainless Steel Straight Razor - Professionally Honed

I'm a little concerned about this question. I just bought a Henckels friodur 7 / 8 NOS. I went this afternoon to take it to a master sharpener but he says it's something difficult to sharpen these kind of razors. What do you think about that? I have to look for a carbon steel one?

This is a pic of the Henckels:

http://i40.tinypic.com/34y2zpt.jpg

I may have been at this game for a while, but my learning experience might be helpful to others. I always thought that SS was harder to hone and incapable of the same ultimate sharpness as carbon steel. I thought to myself that carbon is hard and brittle, stainless is softer and more ductile. Every stainless Dovo I have ever met has confirmed that thinking, rightly or wrongly. But then I discovered I could hone a Livi stainless Damasteel, and a Filarmonica, and then a Case, and recently a Puma. I still don't get quite the exquisite sharpness as I do with a carbon steel blade, but then that exquisite sharpness only lasts a few shaves anyway. In other words, the brand (ie the steel used and its heat-treating and tempering) probably has more to do with it than anything else. I have had many old TI's and a Wacker that took far more effort to hone than any SS razor I have had. So now I'm collecting Friodurs!

Chris

From all the reading I've been doing, it appears carbon steel is the top pick in terms of sharpness, honing, and longevity of the sharpness. People seem to move towards SS 440 because they like the look or not as caring to preserve the carbon steel. If I'm wrong, let me know.

I figure I have lots of carbon steel tools in the garage that get abused (like wire cutters and pruners), and those edges seem to keep sharp. If stain develops, an SOS pad seems to take care of the rust/stain with no problems.

I also have no lacking of oil around the house, therefore I shouldn't have a problem taking care of carbon steel.

Jake

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by indoko

I'm a little concerned about this question. I just bought a Henckels friodur 7 / 8 NOS. I went this afternoon to take it to a master sharpener but he says it's something difficult to sharpen these kind of razors. What do you think about that? I have to look for a carbon steel one?

This is a pic of the Henckels:

http://i40.tinypic.com/34y2zpt.jpg

---

Any of the honemeisters from SRP ought be able to sharpen a fine razor like that, no trouble at all. Who did you take it to?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Any of the honemeisters from SRP ought be able to sharpen a fine razor like that, no trouble at all. Who did you take it to?

---

I took the razor to a man who sells knifes in his little shop in Valencia (Spain). He is used to sharpen knives throughout his life and told me that Filarmonica´s steel was the good one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by indoko

I took the razor to a man who sells knifes in his little shop in Valencia (Spain). He is used to sharpen knives throughout his life and told me that Filarmonica´s steel was the good one.

---

I would recommend getting in touch with one of our other European members who is known to be a profiecient honer. Your razor has very good steel, and should hone up very well in the hands of someone with experience honing razors.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Crowley

The hardness and edge holding qualities of carbon steel are related to the hardening and tempering process - not the steel itself, (generally). If high carbon steel is not hardened properly it can remain soft or become so hard it is brittle. When hardened properly it can remain brittle or if mis-tempered can become soft again; having said that - the same is true of the 440C used in Solingen INOX razors. 440C is a high carbon stain resistant steel that can be hardened to the Rockwell C range that is perfect for a straight razor but the same holds true about mis-tempering it. All things being equal except the 13% or so chromium added to the 440C - the carbon steel will take and maintain a marginally better edge. However; if honed properly the difference isn't great.

---

Well naturally the tempering will make all the difference in the quality of the blade and the edge it would take. When talking about razors, I think one should be able to assume that the blade smithing is done by someone who is professionally trained, ensuring the best quality blade the materials will provide. Although this may not always be the case, saying " I feel high carbon steel makes this best blade when it is tempered properly" sounds as silly to me as saying "burger shake has the best cheeseburger around, assuming the cheese is fresh and the meet is cooked."

If you have to question the tempering of the steel in a blade, you probably shouldn't buy from that company.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freyguy

Well naturally the tempering will make all the difference in the quality of the blade and the edge it would take. When talking about razors, I think one should be able to assume that the blade smithing is done by someone who is professionally trained, ensuring the best quality blade the materials will provide. Although this may not always be the case, saying " I feel high carbon steel makes this best blade when it is tempered properly" sounds as silly to me as saying "burger shake has the best cheeseburger around, assuming the cheese is fresh and the meet is cooked."

If you have to question the tempering of the steel in a blade, you probably shouldn't buy from that company.

---

Heat treating and tempering are 20% science and 80% black magic. There is not a single 'correct' way... there is a way to get maximum hardness out of a specific steel, and a way to soften it...

But how hard to treat it, and how much you anneal it is a 'recipe' of sorts that any given blank maker can do differently. This means that there are many *perfectly* produced razors out there with very different feels in the steel... causing the lines betwen HC and HCS to get blurry if they're hardened and tempered in a [right] certain way.