Stainless steel vs carbon steel
- Thread starter Erchy
- Start date
Not really .I think the steel's Temper and Honing are more of an factor .
I do actually.
My Ralf Aust stainless fees stiffer and less flexible than the carbon steel version. I prefer the carbon steel flexible feeling, but the shaving result is pretty much the same
My Ralf Aust stainless fees stiffer and less flexible than the carbon steel version. I prefer the carbon steel flexible feeling, but the shaving result is pretty much the same
What about the difference between stainless and carbon steel when 'resting' the edge between stropping and shaving daily with the same straight razor?
Before the invention of DE razors, barbers and daily shavers had sets of SRs for each day of the week to allow the edge to recover. Some SR shavers still do, and retailers still sell multiple SRs in handsome boxed sets and cases for this purpose
Before the invention of DE razors, barbers and daily shavers had sets of SRs for each day of the week to allow the edge to recover. Some SR shavers still do, and retailers still sell multiple SRs in handsome boxed sets and cases for this purpose
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I am not sure what the edge needs to recover from? I have shaved with a single razor for 4 consecutive weeks whilst stropping directly before and after each shave with no degradation of edge performance.
IMO one of the reasons barbers had sets was that they could only work on them on their off day on Sunday’s, but more importantly shaved multiple customers on a single day and they did not have the fancy abrasives we employ today, so the razors required more often refreshing.
IMO one of the reasons barbers had sets was that they could only work on them on their off day on Sunday’s, but more importantly shaved multiple customers on a single day and they did not have the fancy abrasives we employ today, so the razors required more often refreshing.
I have limited experience with stainless blades but it seems to me like they are never as smooth as a carbon blade. I’ve sent a group of razors to a great honemeister a few times and the stainless blade tends to feel a little rougher and doesn’t melow as nicely as my favorite carbon blades. Still, I find it a fun razor to shave with.
I think this has more to do with the grind than the steel.
I personally believe it is best to let the razor rest for a little - not 24 or 48 hours though.
In my early years I did experiments and the edge did not last as long when stropped right after as opposed to waiting a little. Not a big difference but there was a difference. I wait at least a few hours.
Sham, a well known honer, believes this as well through experimentation. Some say not but I don't mind waiting.
I normally shave after work and strop the next morning. This is of course my opinion.
The difference between stainless and carbon in relation to waiting I would think to be very little difference.
Barbers did have a few razors to use for sure but it was not so they could wait between shaves. They stropped whenever they needed to, even if immediately after a shave. They honed regularly all the time anyway so it made little difference if the edge didn't last as long - it was going in for a fresh edge anyway.
I can't say for sure that they didn't swap razors for the next patron to let it rest or not but I will ask my barber next time I'm in. Straight from the horses mouth!
Any fine grain steel will take a keen edge, the type of steel will determine edge retention. M390 and RWL34 are examples of fine grain steel with very good edge retention. Getting them sharp is going to take more time and skill that carbon steel.
Some M390 razors go 12months plus without the need to refresh on a hone. In the end if its sharp it will shave. I have only once used a stainless razor and the shave was as good as my carbon razors.
Some M390 razors go 12months plus without the need to refresh on a hone. In the end if its sharp it will shave. I have only once used a stainless razor and the shave was as good as my carbon razors.
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Who is making razors out of M390? It's a great pocket knife steel, but I would have figured that the carbide content would make it borderline unsuitable for straights. The stainless razors I've looked at with XRF have been much simpler alloys.
@147_Grain M390 is a fine grain steel suited to take and hold shave ready edges. Its just a b1tch to get them there, but once shave ready will hold the edge a very, very, very long time. Below is a custom 7/8 M390 with ivory scales. This one was made by a local artisan. Enjoy
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I've had a few SS razors, can't say any of them struck me as being something I'd want to keep around. The Dovos were a little annoying to finish well. Don't remember edge retention performance. Other SS blades always seemed to resist bevel set efforts a bit more than expected. But different carbon steel blades are different in the same regards. Different steels can have markedly different levels of wear resistance, grain structure, etc. Not to mention the smith's expertise with HT&T, etc. Those differences will/can result in more difficult or easier honing, longer or shorter lasting edges.
My Henckels inox to me seems more comfortable, more easily honed, and less stiff than my carbon steel TI.
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Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
Typically old carbon steel especially pre ww2 takes a finer smoother edge than stainless.
My Friodur hones and shaves as well or better than my carbons.
I remember years ago this being debated and there was the notion that stainless doesn't take as fine an edge but last longer.
I have one stainless that I use for travel (so not so much anymore). It works fine but I prefer my carbon blades.
Chris
I have one stainless that I use for travel (so not so much anymore). It works fine but I prefer my carbon blades.
Chris
I tend to prefer carbon steel edges, but I have a stainless henckles that can get a marvelous edge and hold it. Something special about that one. Certainly competes with some of my best for my preferred edge and shave. There just are more factors than stainless vs carbon for it to be that simple of a question.
It’s really not a simple answer, countless books and research papers are devoted to metallurgy and hardening steel.
Overall though among the serious hand tool woodworkers I know, every single one gravitates towards pure high carbon steel. The joke about more durable complex carbide steels is “takes a crappy edge and holds it forever whether you’re working or trying to hone it”. The steels they shun and complain about aren’t even as frustrating as true stainless, they’re more in the range of D2.
Somebody’s gonna jump on me and say it doesn’t cross over to shaving, but I’m in both camps and the metallurgy and edge behavior 100% corelates. Woodworkers are MUCH more observant and picky about metallurgy than shavers because they spend exponentially more time honing.
Overall though among the serious hand tool woodworkers I know, every single one gravitates towards pure high carbon steel. The joke about more durable complex carbide steels is “takes a crappy edge and holds it forever whether you’re working or trying to hone it”. The steels they shun and complain about aren’t even as frustrating as true stainless, they’re more in the range of D2.
Somebody’s gonna jump on me and say it doesn’t cross over to shaving, but I’m in both camps and the metallurgy and edge behavior 100% corelates. Woodworkers are MUCH more observant and picky about metallurgy than shavers because they spend exponentially more time honing.
