Blade steel

I'm new to straight razors. I have bought several and am learning to use them.

I'm curious about the blades. Does anyone know what type of steel was used in the Sheffield blades like Wade & Butcher, the Solingens like Dubll Duck, the Wonderedge, etc? I wondering what grade/type of steel was used? I know some are carbon or alloy steels and some are stainless steels.

I have a Wonderedge that it almost looks like the blade was plated. It has a couple of areas that look like a thin blade coating/plating is flaking off.

Were any of the blades coated or plated or are they just polished steel?

Any help will be appreciated!:)

Thanks,
John

I'm not a metal guy, but I don't think any of the ones you mentioned were stainless. Regarding the WonderEdge, I've got a few of them and have never experienced what you described. I'm not aware of any sort of plating on them.

If possible, could you show a photo of the WonderEdge?

Some blades were definitely plated, I wasn't aware that there were plated Ducks. I've handled a few Genevas that were plated and they performed very well, previous threads have suggested the plating was nickel.

Outside of bluing and gold wash the ducks were not plated unless an owner did it himself.

The actual steel recipes were what we would now call "trade secrets" back then..

However, the DD, WE is not a plated razor. it was made of Swedish Steel, well heck here ya go


http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/att...8&d=1293834556


I have run into exactly 1 yes 1 plated razor in the last 4000-6000 razors that I have actually laid my hands on... It was a Genco and only one of the 100 or so Genco's I have touched was plated...

Genco/Geneva same same

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gardoggie

I'm new to straight razors. I have bought several and am learning to use them.

I'm curious about the blades. Does anyone know what type of steel was used in the Sheffield blades like Wade & Butcher, the Solingens like Dubll Duck, the Wonderedge, etc? I wondering what grade/type of steel was used? I know some are carbon or alloy steels and some are stainless steels.

I have a Wonderedge that it almost looks like the blade was plated. It has a couple of areas that look like a thin blade coating/plating is flaking off.

Were any of the blades coated or plated or are they just polished steel?

Any help will be appreciated!:)

Thanks,
John

---

Could you post some pictures of this razor? I am interested in seeing what you have described.

So I've been thinking about restoring a blade after rhodium coating....just to play around with it. Anyone else ever try it?

Jon

Here are a few pics of a couple of spots. They aren't the best, but hopefully you can see it looks like a layer of steel has flaked off. Maybe it is corrosion and a layer of rust flaked off??

Hard to tell. Almost looks like someone had a corrosion issue and tried to polish or grind it out. I have a razor that started to be the victim of celluloid rot and after I worked on the area it looked very similar to what you have there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hard to tell. Almost looks like someone had a corrosion issue and tried to polish or grind it out. I have a razor that started to be the victim of celluloid rot and after I worked on the area it looked very similar to what you have there.

---

It is very difficult to tell. And funnily enough looks exactly as first described in the initial post. Personally I would bust out the buffer or sand paper and rebuild it. One issue is that the undesirable area being that far down near the bevel does not leave a lot of room to take too much steel off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gardoggie

I'm new to straight razors. I have bought several and am learning to use them.

I'm curious about the blades.
....snip...
Were any of the blades coated or plated or are they just polished steel?

Any help will be appreciated!:)

Thanks,
John

---

In general blades are polished steel.

Because of rust and corrosion many things have been
tried to preserve the steel. The best solution is the same
that the Japanese found years and years ago... a thin
coat of a pure oil and relentless fine polishing.

Folk have used all the gun steel tricks: blued them brown them, plated them
and now use stainless steel.

However the best str8 edge is still well honed fine high carbon steel.
Modern high carbon stainless is a close second.

Fine high carbon steel is surprisingly rare. Contamination in the iron
ore or from the fuel used to smelt the steel can all contribute to a less
than ideal razor.

Cutting edges differ from razors in that many have a high percentage
of hard carbide forming components. Carbides being harder than almost
any hone material short of diamond add a micro tooth that results
in a harsh razor edge. A minor amount can prove beneficial...

Some Swedish steel and some Japanese steel are famous for being pure iron+carbon
in the right amounts.

The commercial blades that combine chrome, platinum, Teflon, are interesting
in their context but do not apply to a straight because these surface amendments
would be quickly worn away on the strop or hone and after the first week
would be of little value.