I've only used stainless so far, but I'm curious about carbon steel blades. I've heard it said that carbon steel holds a sharper edge, and since I already dip my razor in alcohol after each use, I imagine rust wouldn't be an issue. Anyone care to comment on the merits of carbon steel blades, and maybe recommend some to try?
Carbon steel blades
- Thread starter roboboticus
- Start date
AFAIK one of the few plants that still make them is Treet. Treets (carbon) are my fav blade. There's the classic (black beauty) and the durasharp (they also carry a stainless durasharp, so beware). The latter give me one more shave. Since I use them for two or three shaves, I never saw any rust. Not even when I left a blade in the ASR for a couple of days. But do try them, if they work for you they are great blades.
I've used a Treet carbon steel single edge blade the last two days. The Treets are my favorite blade but they do lose their edge very quickly. I dry them thorughly after each use and really don't get a lot of rust but they dull after 2-3 shaves. From what I've read that's the nature of carbon steel.
Carbon steel blades come out of the grinding/honing process with fewer microscopic gaps and irregularities than stainless blades. They're smooth enough to shave as is, whereas Wilkinson some 50 years ago did not consider the stainless blade smooth enough until they developed a PTFE (teflon) coating that filled in the gaps in the finished edge. With a few exceptions, all stainless blades today are PTFE coated.
The Treet Blue Special and the Durasharp Classic are the two carbon steel blades currently on the market. The Blue Special (Black Beauty) is a throwback to the Gillette Blue Blades of the '30's, '40's, and '50's, with no coating on the edge, and good for 1 to 3 shaves at most. The Durasharp Classic is the same blade with a PTFE coating, and is about the smoothest blade I've ever used. It lasts for me about 4 shaves, 1-2 more than the Blue Special, and one less than most stainless blades.
These blades are plenty sharp for me, but not as sharp as a Super Iridium or a Feather.
Carbon steel blades are a love 'em or hate 'em affair. They work well for some, but not for all. Check out the comments in the review section.
The Treet Blue Special and the Durasharp Classic are the two carbon steel blades currently on the market. The Blue Special (Black Beauty) is a throwback to the Gillette Blue Blades of the '30's, '40's, and '50's, with no coating on the edge, and good for 1 to 3 shaves at most. The Durasharp Classic is the same blade with a PTFE coating, and is about the smoothest blade I've ever used. It lasts for me about 4 shaves, 1-2 more than the Blue Special, and one less than most stainless blades.
These blades are plenty sharp for me, but not as sharp as a Super Iridium or a Feather.
Carbon steel blades are a love 'em or hate 'em affair. They work well for some, but not for all. Check out the comments in the review section.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks for the useful info.
Treet carbon steel blades = the bee's knees
Love the carbon. Treet carbon steel blades occupy the #1 and #2 positions as favorite DE blades. Tried some carbon SE blades versus Ted Pella/GEM PTFE coated stainless, and I can say I'm just a carbon man.
Similar threads
