Thread: Stainless Steel Razors

I'm of the opinion that stainless steel is a compromise between a blade's potential for ultra-fine keen edges and corrosion resistance. With the best stainless steels, I think it's an acceptable compromise, but a compromise, nonetheless. I've had a number of stainless razors that gave good shaves with the Friodurs coming to mind immediately. But I feel that at their very best, they are still not as good in edge quality as high carbon steel at it's very best. Friodurs will take a very, very good edge and will shave both comfortably and closely. Really good high carbon steel is still a cut above and that's after many years of using both, honing both, handling both and making both.

Folks who like stainless steel razors can certainly give honest reports of being very happy with them. They're good shavers. And folks who think their high carbon steel razors are as good as it gets can certainly say so honestly, too. And I share that sentiment.

In stainless steels, there are grades that are very corrosion resistant indeed, to the point of being nearly corrosion-proof. These grades are absolutely lousy as blade materials. The lower the alloy content, the better the blade is likely to be because it's the martensite matrix structure of high carbon steel that is the key to very sharp edges. The best stainless steels for cutting blades tend to have the lowest alloy content because these alloys function as corrosion inhibitors; not cutting edge enhancers. The formulas for those blades used as cutters is tweaked to minimize the effect of that compromise by changing the way they react during heat treating and quench. Some have very, very high carbon content (cpm-s30v, for example) that is much greater than that of high carbon steel, in order to get better martensite conversion. Some have vanadium, which tends to restrict grain growth. I could go on about the differences and what have you, but arguments about what steel is best go on in every blade lover's community and probably will forever, so it's moot point.

Perhaps it's best to just say that very good high carbon steel blades and very good stainless blades are just that... very good blades. Which is best comes down to personal opinion. For me, it's HCS, but I'll also say that aside from my daily shaver, which I made myself, the only other razor I use is a Friodur. It's my "backup plan". For when my primary shaver needs honed or if I drop it and chip it or what have you. It's also my travel razor if I'm driving. If I fly, I just take a DE. I wouldn't have it as my backup razor if it wasn't a very good shaver. That AND the fact that I can just leave it in the bathroom and ignore it completely until I have to use it without any regard to staining or corrosion made it the sensible choice, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by PapaBull

But I feel that at their very best, they are still not as good in edge quality as high carbon steel at it's very best. Friodurs will take a very, very good edge and will shave both comfortably and closely. Really good high carbon steel is still a cut above and that's after many years of using both, honing both, handling both and making both.

I wouldn't be able to say better way. This is exact my experience. Unfortunately it is hard to explain sometimes.

That's very true. We really don't know how much research and developement they put into stainless steel razor.

But I guess it's also just preference just like everything else. Some people might like them others may not.

Originally Posted by PapaBull

I'm of the opinion that stainless steel is a compromise between a blade's potential for ultra-fine keen edges and corrosion resistance. With the best stainless steels, I think it's an acceptable compromise, but a compromise, nonetheless. I've had a number of stainless razors that gave good shaves with the Friodurs coming to mind immediately. But I feel that at their very best, they are still not as good in edge quality as high carbon steel at it's very best. Friodurs will take a very, very good edge and will shave both comfortably and closely. Really good high carbon steel is still a cut above and that's after many years of using both, honing both, handling both and making both.

Folks who like stainless steel razors can certainly give honest reports of being very happy with them. They're good shavers. And folks who think their high carbon steel razors are as good as it gets can certainly say so honestly, too. And I share that sentiment.

In stainless steels, there are grades that are very corrosion resistant indeed, to the point of being nearly corrosion-proof. These grades are absolutely lousy as blade materials. The lower the alloy content, the better the blade is likely to be because it's the martensite matrix structure of high carbon steel that is the key to very sharp edges. The best stainless steels for cutting blades tend to have the lowest alloy content because these alloys function as corrosion inhibitors; not cutting edge enhancers. The formulas for those blades used as cutters is tweaked to minimize the effect of that compromise by changing the way they react during heat treating and quench. Some have very, very high carbon content (cpm-s30v, for example) that is much greater than that of high carbon steel, in order to get better martensite conversion. Some have vanadium, which tends to restrict grain growth. I could go on about the differences and what have you, but arguments about what steel is best go on in every blade lover's community and probably will forever, so it's moot point.

Perhaps it's best to just say that very good high carbon steel blades and very good stainless blades are just that... very good blades. Which is best comes down to personal opinion. For me, it's HCS, but I'll also say that aside from my daily shaver, which I made myself, the only other razor I use is a Friodur. It's my "backup plan". For when my primary shaver needs honed or if I drop it and chip it or what have you. It's also my travel razor if I'm driving. If I fly, I just take a DE. I wouldn't have it as my backup razor if it wasn't a very good shaver. That AND the fact that I can just leave it in the bathroom and ignore it completely until I have to use it without any regard to staining or corrosion made it the sensible choice, in my opinion.

This is good reading