silver steel?

can someone clarify the difference in:

the normal carbon steel: additional carbon allows a more thin and thus sharper edge. but is also more suspectable to rust and is softer thus losing an edge quicker then stainless razors.

silver steel: ??

stainless steel? additional chromium, harder steel, much more resistant to rust. will hold an edge longer due to being harder but is also harder/longer to hone.


i was honing one of these: http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...940/190299.htm and the blade was extremely light and took a good number of laps to get sharp. was wondering if it would be classified as carbon or stainless.....somewhere inbetween?

thanks
~J

JScott,

I would guess that this razor is carbon and
not stainless.

I believe that "silver steel " is carbon steel
that contains a small abount of silver to
give the blade more shine. I'm not sure
on what effect that this would have on
the edge.

Now don't take my word as gospel though.
I am definately far from an expert.


Terry

I believe that the steel with a small amount of silver to improve the shine of the metal is true. Silver steel was invented in 1921 in Sheffield.

I don't know about the original silver steel but the stuff they sell now has no silver in it and I doubt it ever did. I suspect the particular ore that it was mined from had a natural composition they gave it the high luster and excellent properties we are all familiar with.