stainless vs carbon steel straight razors

[edwardtan]

I know there have probably been numerous discussions on this topic here already but I wasn't able to find any threads using the search feature. I've been using an injector straight razor with merkur blades for over a year now and I am planning on switching to a real straight. I was just wondering what the pros and cons are for a stainless vs carbon steel. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information floating around. some say stainless is a harder material so it is more difficult to hone, while others say it is actually softer than carbon steel. Does anyone have experience with both types of razors?

Thanks

 

[Luc]

My observations:

Stainless: Get's dull quicker than carbon steel but won't rust
Carbon Steel: can rust but stay sharper longer

 

[riooso]

I have had two stainless razors and, for me, I could not get that "wicked" sharp edge on stainless that I have come to love in a nice carbon steel razor. I also did not feel they were as smooth as a carbon steel razor.


Take Care,
Richard

 

[Badkarma]

Carbon steel razors sharpened by Max. There is no better shave!!!!!!

 

[DE Shaver]

My observations:

Stainless: Get's dull quicker than carbon steel but won't rust
Carbon Steel: can rust but stay sharper longer

This is what I found to be the case, although I didn't find stainless blades to dull that quickly.

 

[edwardtan]

zoolander jokes aside, I'm assuming blue steel is pretty much the same as carbon steel since the coating would probably wear off after a few stropes?

 

[Hawkeye5]

I like and use both carbon and stainless. In my somewhat limited experience, stainless can be as sharp as carbon and provide as smooth a shave.

Blue steel razors are just carbon with gun bluing.

 

[mdunn]

bluing steel is just a really thin coating along the outside of the metal, think of it as a thin layer of friendly rust. Enough stropping should wear it away over time, but only a few strokes on a hone will clear it away.

Not sure what razor is blued all the way down to the bevel though...

 

[Hawkeye5]

I have a Kinfolks Blue Steel Special that is blued, blade and all. Most Blue Steel razors (several varieties) may have been blued, but the ones I've seen have all the bluing worn off.

Lots of razors have had the tang blued.

 

[Seraphim]

They can both make excellent razors.


The honing "issue" is WAY overblown, and has more to do with what hone is being used than whether or not a stainless razor is being honed (I think some hones are just bad at honing stainless).

Buy what you like.

Stainless is easier to maintain, carbon has a very slight edge in sharpness and smoothness.

 

[edwardtan]

so if i'm switching from an existing injector straight razor, are the only new things I need the actual razor and a strop?

 

[Chimensch]

so if i'm switching from an existing injector straight razor, are the only new things I need the actual razor and a strop?

At the very minimum you need a barbers hone or other hone to touch it up. A razor with the bevel set, such as a professionally-honed razor, can be maintained for ever with barbers hone. I did it for 28 years. If you can't find a barbers hone, a coticule is an excellent single stone because it can also be used with slurry to set the bevel. There are other solutions that I will leave to others to describe but a barbers hone is the simplest and least expensive.

In regard to stainles versus carbon, I agree with the other posters who said that a stainles razor won't hold its edge as long. Otherwise, it can give great shaves.

 

[ramon]

I know there have probably been numerous discussions on this topic here already but I wasn't able to find any threads using the search feature. I've been using an injector straight razor with merkur blades for over a year now and I am planning on switching to a real straight. I was just wondering what the pros and cons are for a stainless vs carbon steel. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information floating around. some say stainless is a harder material so it is more difficult to hone, while others say it is actually softer than carbon steel. Does anyone have experience with both types of razors?


Thanks

Stainless is not difficult to hone

 

[Tuxedo7]

Good stuff ... Thanks!

 

[ramon]

I have two carbon steel and two stainless steel, all are dovo , the carbon steel razor are little rust and lost a little gold coat , the stainless razor looks like new.
In my experience the stainless stay more sharp longer time than carbon steel , but the both carbon steel and stainless give good shave .

 

[Seraphim]

I haven't noticed a difference in edge longevity between stainless and carbon.

 

[PhatMan]

edwardtan,

I have two (3) stainless razors - two (2) 5/8 Dovo EnVogue's and a 8/8 Henckels Friodur.

They all shave every bit as good as my carbon steel razors

The Dovo's do have particular 'feel' on the face, but then so do my C135 Thiers-Issard carbon steel razors.

I have not noticed that my stainless blades were any different to hone or maintain, and haven't noticed any difference in edge longevity relative to my other razors.

Being stainless, they are more corrosion resistant, but then again I protect all my razors after shaving with TufGlide so that makes little difference to me

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

 

[edwardtan]

So where can i find a barbers hone? I'm currently looking at fendrihan's site but it doesn't seem like he has anything listed as a barbers hone.

Thanks

 

[Luc]

So where can i find a barbers hone? I'm currently looking at fendrihan's site but it doesn't seem like he has anything listed as a barbers hone.

Thanks

BST or post a WTB thread.

 

[edwardtan]

so would a spyderco ultra fine be the same as a barbers hone? Doesn't seem like there are any places that sell either of those in the toronto area though.