Thread: Magnetstahl?

I have a razor here that I honed and it seems to shave well now (at least for me in my limited experience ) that is made of Solingen 'magnetstahl' (and as the name suggests it is magnetic). Is this lower quality steel or is there a specific reason why they'd use magnetic steel, some kind of fad one day?

Same reason some of the new fandangled modern razor vibrate. Theory was that the magnetism helped to raise the hairs and provide a better shave. At least, that's what I've been told. I have one magnetized razor that I've shaved with and I've noticed nothing special about it.

Gosh, I did not know hairs felt the attraction of a magnet. Thought only certain metals feel the attraction!

that's why you need to eat your spinache!

It's just marketing hype, there were a whole bunch of new-and-improved steels back in the day. You'll find razors claiming to be magnetic, carbo-magnetic, electric, fluid, and silver steel, all marketing-driven steels.

Yes back in those days there were no consumer protection laws so venders could claim that their wares exhibited all kinds of special properties and there was no shortage of imagination to think up new terms and justifications for them. And the thing is back then the explanations seemed plausible to the people of the day. Afterall when you sail East out of New York and the ship disappears its fallen off the Earth right?

Actually, there is something to the 'Magnetic' designation.

Steel takes various molecular forms based on carbon content and tempering. One of these forms is Martensite. Martensite is a very hard form and is excelent for knives, razors, etc. It is more expensive to produce because it requires introducing extra carbon to the steel.

ALSO, the Martensite form is magnetic. Other, less expensive forms of steel that do NOT hold an edge as well are less likely to be magnetic.

So 'Magnetic' was indicator of the quality of the steel used in the razor.

well waddoyouknow. So there might actually be something to that whole thing afterall.