Thread: Maestro Livi Buffalo Horn with Three Holes and a new Blue Tonge Damascus blade.

My understanding is the maestro works strictly with Stainless (I'm not sure about the japan Sourced material) and his damascus is all acid etched. If you want a true wootz blade in Carbon Steel you have to go with TI's damascus. By the way I have both a TI Damascus and a Maestro Damascus and personall I think the Maestro's is a far better razor all around. I find the TI to be very difficult to hone and maintain. But of course if you have a thing about wootz steel that's another matter.

I'm pretty sure the Takeda steel is carbon steel, at least that's how lynn describes it.

Tom,
My first question to you is how much honing experience do you have? The reason that I ask is that the Damascus whether it be the new Blue Tonge or the old Damasteel Damascus is somewhat more difficult to hone than the ATS 34 steel. The Blue Tonge is easier to hone than the old Damascus as it is a bit softer.
I have shaved with my Buffalo Horn and its Blue Tonge Damascus and I have shaved with Lynn's Blue Tonge Damascus and I really do like the shave. In both cases I felt that the Damascus was just a little sharper than the ATS 34 plus it is very attractive. Don't get me wrong the ATS 34 is a super steel and I also like shaving with it. I feel that it would depend on your honing experience and what you are willing to learn if you do get the Damascus. I had Lynn give me a few pointers on the Damascus and there is a learning curve on honing it.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for your advice.
Am I right to say that the harder the steel is (i.e. more difficult to hone), the more easier to chip? If this is the case, then the blue tonge damascus might not be my cup of tea. What I want is a steel with beauty of both worlds, i.e. very hard and can hold its edge but not easy to chip. Honing is not a problem for me as I have the time and patient to take up the learning curve of a damascus steel. BTW, is the blue tonge damascus a stainless steel? I quite like the beauty of a damascus razor.

Best regards,
Tom Tong

Tom,
You know I don't think that I really know if it is stainless steel.......I am thinking that it is not but will let someone on here that knows answer your question and then I will know also.

The Blue Tonge is a Damasteel. It is also a harder steel, but hones up quite nicely. The forged Damascus blades by TI and some of the other Damasteels were a little tougher to hone as they did have a tendency to micro chip which I have not seen with the Blue Tonge. It, the ATS 34 and the Maestro Takeda AS blades are great shavers as well as beautiful.

Lynn

Lynn,
Is the Damascus a stainless steel?

I have a maestro damascus and it is stainless steel.

As far as honing goes its like driving a car. If you have a license then you should be able to drive anything within reason. Some may be a bit more difficult or challenging but the principle is the same. The same goes with honing. If you have the basics down you can hone any razor it may just require a change in your technique and some more time, in some cases alot more time. I have a TI damascus and it is probably the hardest razor I have when it comes to hone. Also the appearance of the blade is unlike anything I've ever seen. The bevel under magnification is full of pits and etches and furrows in the steel, not chips just wierd stuff. But eventually it came around and shaves great now.

I wouldn't base my decision to buy or not buy a new razor based upon honing difficulty. Even if your just starting out you can initially send it out for honing until your skills are up to snuff. Your going to have the razor for a long time and you'll only look back and regret not buying what you originally wanted to get some thing thats "easy to hone".

I have a mastro livi damascus which is stainless steel and I have no trouble keeping the edge. I don't hone I used pasted strops. One a week il take the razor over 6micron down to one micron and then bare leather to finish off. Never had any issues. Other than the stainless damascus and the carbon damascus what other steel options does mastro offer ??

Carbon steel
Stainless steel
Stainless damascus
Carbon damascus ??

I think by now the ones starting this thread are now either expert honers, gave up on trying to hone or are dead-har har.

You covered all the variations there.