Thread: What is Toledo Steel?

I saw in a different thread (#14 in the razor club) that there is an "infamous" Toledo steel? Anyone know the story? What's special about Toledo Steel? I've been to Toledo...definitely nothing special.

They were known for making swords. But I don't see how that can have anything to do with straight razors, given that the swordmaking was a long time before razors. And whether or not their swords actually earned the reputation is another question all together.

Even though Toledo, OH has a steel industry, or used too I think.

I am pretty sure it is in reference to Toledo, Spain.

My sister went to Toledo, Spain a few years back, and visited a few forgeries. They do indeed pride themselves on their steel, which they likely learned from the Moors a long time ago. The knife she brought back was just 440c I think, but the photographs she took of the knives and blades are astounding.

Ah, I should have known nothing good comes from Ohio. Thanks guys. Are there straight razors with the Toledo steel that are epic? Does it only apply to swords/knives/whatever...

I think Toledo is to Spain , what Sheffield is to England , or Solingen is to Germany .

From what I've been able to find out about this, there is no Toledo steel as such in straight razors.
I think the term is more used as a way of talking about quality razors from Spain. Sort of a homage to the fabled swords and weaponry from way back when.

toledo steel on wiki mentions that they had a "significant production of razor blades" but I was unable to find anything beyond this. Perhaps they just made razor blades and not straight razors?

Originally Posted by str8fencer

toledo steel on wiki mentions that they had a "significant production of razor blades" but I was unable to find anything beyond this. Perhaps they just made razor blades and not straight razors?

Interesting philosophical question--what is the existential difference between a blade and a razor?

As Toledo was a hugely famous blade-making site up until the 19th century or so, it only stands to reason that they made razors...being blades. But it faded in the more modern period, which is why no one seems to know about them nowadays.

Yup, Toledo Spain. Their advantage in making steel was discovering the latent amount of clean, good quality iron ore that was leftover in the slag pits of the Roman era smelting furnaces scattered in the Toledo region. Perhaps the first recyclers who gained fame from being green?