Thread: Dont know what i have

[QUOTE=alb1981;788106
... snip ...
Side note, the blade really is magnetic! I found that odd, but I wonder if there is a purpose
to that or its just a by product of production/honing. Let me know if you have experience with it![/QUOTE]

Magnetic steel razors are common. At one time the magic of magnets was
used as it is today to sell products.

With steel there happens to be an important temperature
where a magnet no longer holds steel. After holding steel
at or above this temperature long enough the first step
in the heat treatment process starts.

I need to do some fact checking but I can imagine a smith
puling a bit of red almost white hot steel out of the fire and testing it
with a hanging magnet. If it was hot enough the magnet
would not grab.

I can see some marketing guy taking a clue and magnetize
razors at the finishing steps to make his product stand
apart. Remember that at one time making and heat treating
good steel for razors was a serious trade secret. That would
include the magnet.

Some automobile folk will know the trademarked processes
that fall under the topic of "magniflux". In the '60 the hot
rod folk would have crank shafts and cam shafts Magnifluxed to
relieve stress. I suspect that service is still available.

The inspection part that Magniflux markets today applies naturally
to razors. When honing razors that happen to be magnetic
the bits of steel swarf do cluster and make nicks, cracks and other
problems easier to see.

Heat treating would remove any natural magnetism so
the steel has to be magnetized again near the end of
manufacturing. DC electromagnets would have been
ideal to do this so that almost limits the time frame.

Being magnetic is of itself no advantage as best I can tell.

An old time magnetic razor can be a grand shaver.
Hone it up and enjoy.