Does steel or titanium make a difference in the way a razor shaves, everything else considered equal? Does it make a difference in the clamping force, rigidity of holding the blade, or anything else?
Steel, Titanium Vs Others
- Thread starter shadeshredder
- Start date
For me yes 
I love the feel of Ti not sure what it is but for sure seems smoother in a unique way than stainless just seems to shave a touch smoother and softer in a way
also the heat does not carry over the same so very neutral feeling on the face
only had one brass and it also had its own feel which was unique but I prefer the weight of the Ti razors so that weight and feel is what I love about them
IMHO you just have to own one use one and decide if its for you
just like all our shaving goods its all personal there is no single best only what is best or your favorite IMHO
for the clamping and rigidity that is purely the razor design I feel so stainless or Ti will be the same
BUT the sound coming off a Ti is a bit different than the same ones in stainless which makes sense
I love the feel of Ti not sure what it is but for sure seems smoother in a unique way than stainless just seems to shave a touch smoother and softer in a wayalso the heat does not carry over the same so very neutral feeling on the face
only had one brass and it also had its own feel which was unique but I prefer the weight of the Ti razors so that weight and feel is what I love about them
IMHO you just have to own one use one and decide if its for you
just like all our shaving goods its all personal there is no single best only what is best or your favorite IMHO
for the clamping and rigidity that is purely the razor design I feel so stainless or Ti will be the same
BUT the sound coming off a Ti is a bit different than the same ones in stainless which makes sense
lasta
Blade Biter
In terms of performance, mostly comes down to weight. Titanium can feel surprisingly insubstantial.
More important is how they look. For me: gold/silver/brass is best, steel is acceptable, not a big fan of the grayish titanium look. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all.
More important is how they look. For me: gold/silver/brass is best, steel is acceptable, not a big fan of the grayish titanium look. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
In terms of clamping and rigidity, no difference at all. As mentioned above, weight and balance can be different, as can temperature. Brass warms up quicker than titanium, for example.
Beyond that, machined razors will have tighter manufacturing tolerances than cast razors. However, my stainless steel CNC machined primary razor only shaves to the same standard as my cast zinc alloy razor, which was my primary razor before. They need slightly different handling to get to the same result (which is why I predominantly stick to one razor), but I would not say that one shaves better than the other.
The main appeal of the razors with premium materials, I would argue, is purely an emotional one. Some folks feel happier shaving with a 200 (currency of choice) razor, than one at a fifth of that price. Be that due to materials, construction, or just the fact it looks prettier. A luxury item for a luxury shave.
The razor I used for the first twenty years of double edge shaving, was plastic. I got just as good a shave back then as I get now. I just enjoy using my metal razors more.
I would like have razor made of sugar. If I don't like it I would put it in my morning coffee ! 
There are tribes-people who just hold a de blade and shave parts of another's head.
I say you could hot melt glue half a blade to a rusty nail and shave with it.
the difference is in the technical aspects, not metal/s.
For me nope.
It's just a matter of density / weight.
I love light razors, with a good balance.
Ideally, a long handle (90+mm) with a good size (circumference 12+mm) can be heavy.
So some metals waste the balance of the razor.
This is why I love hi-tech AL alloy and 3D printed polymer razors.
Main difference, titanium is lighter. Be it 303, 316 steel or titanium, nothing will rust when shaving with it.
Major difference: Titanium is way harder to machine and polish and therefore costs extra $$$ friendship dollars.
Major difference: Titanium is way harder to machine and polish and therefore costs extra $$$ friendship dollars.
Large razors benefit a lot from titanium, but then again the price will also jump. I was very sceptical about titanium razors, but if the price is in my liking, I would always pick it up before anything else. Stainless steel is also a solid choice as well as brass, but I'm not a fan of bare brass, so nickel plating is my bare minimum. I really don't care that much for anything else and I would only buy such razor if I have no other choice and the razor did n question is something very epecial, unique, there isn't any other metal option OR if the price is very tempting.
To a certain extent I believe it does as far as manufacturing tolerances, balance and heft are concerned.
As far as the closeness of the shave is concerned, I doubt that anyone could tell by touching another man’s beard area (Of course, the shaver himself would only know too well because of the three factors mentioned above.) whether the other man has shaved with a zamak, stainless steel or titanium razor.
What I believe matters more are design, construction, manufacturing tolerances, and quality control.
A well constructed Zamak razor can be better than some rubbish stainless steel safety razor.
The way I look at it, each razor material has its strengths and weaknesses and it is up to the shaver to find the right balance that works best for him.
Zamak razors (from a quality manufacturer)
inexpensive, easily available, acceptable manufacturing tolerances, reasonably strong (strength 268 MPa, hardness 274 Mpa)*, should be (chrome) coated for better protection, but there is still a small chance that zinc rot may occur at a later stage. The latter risk is higher with Zamak razors manufactured by unknown companies (e.g. cheap knockoffs).
Stainless steel
medium priced, the raw material is easily available, razors can have excellent tolerances when precision machined, extremely strong (strength 515 MPa, hardness 678 Mpa)*, but stainless steel razors tend to be quite heavy.
Aluminium
medium priced, can have excellent tolerances when precision machined, extremely light, but the material has a low strength (strength 90 Mpa, hardness 240 MPa)* and may be subject to dents and dings in daily use.
Titanium
can have excellent tolerances when precision machined, light, can be very strong (strength 343 Mpa, hardness 700-2700 Hpa)*, but titanium is less readily available than steel and aluminium, difficult to machine and the most expensive raw material of the four.
So there you have it.
If price is the primary concern, and potential durability issues are not a deterrent, Zamak may be the ideal choice.
If light weight is a concern and the relative softness is not a deterrent, aluminium may be the ideal choice.
If strength and durability is a concern and the high weight is not a deterrent, stainless steel may be the ideal choice.
If strength, durability and weight are a concern and the high price is not a deterrent, titanium may be the ideal choice.
Personally, I do not share the contempt that some shavers show Zamak. When manufactured by a reputable company with good quality control Zamak can be a viable, cost-effective alternative. Because of low strength and hardness I do, however, consider aluminium an unattractive material for safety razors. Because of strength and corrosion resistance, stainless steel can be an excellent option, but if price is not a concern and low weight is important the overall best material seems to be titanium.
A few years back, titanium became all the craze for watch cases, but this trend has now significantly cooled down as raw material and manufacturing costs compared to stainless steel are quite high. It remains to be seen whether this trend repeats itself with titanium razors.
B.
* typical values, actual values may differ substantially depending on alloy and heat treatment.
Last edited:
No. It’s funny how some of the same people who praise heft in a razor extol the light weight of titanium.
I thought the same thing before I had the pleasure of using a titanium razor myself. I thought that they are just unnecessarily expensive and exotic and bring nothing to the table, but after using at least 5 titanium razors, my opinion has changed drastically.
Bulky razors like the Timeless, Blackbird, Wolfman etc. feel way more nimble and enjoyable in titanium compared to stainless steel or brass. I've only used Timeless and Blackbird in both stainless steel and titanium and I'm just assuming that the same goes for the Wolfman as well.
It just feels better for me, that's all and as we all know, titanium is arguably the most durable known metal, so that's an extra bonus.
This common contradiction makes me giggle
The closest I can come to answer this is I have both the Lupo aluminum and in steel, both the 58 and 72 plates. I am under the impression the 58 plate is the closest to the aluminum. I prefer the steel version. The weight makes it feel like a more satisfying shave.
Yes, it is funny (even though it does not quite make me giggle
).Spending the extra coin on a titanium razor when one likes razors with a hefty feel is to me a contradiction in itself and a waste of money. It would make more sense to save the money and invest it in a good bottle of Malt.
(As mentioned before, aluminium is for me not in the running, but even here the money saved by steel over aluminium might still be enough for a bottle of a decent Scotch blend.
)BTW, one other reason that may make someone prefer titanium razors is lower heat retention. Some people just prefer the feel of titanium on the skin better than steel.
B.
I am still waiting for Crom and Conan to give their opinion on this titanium vs steel thing.
From a mechanical perspective all razor metals, and plastics, have sufficient strength for a razor and there is no advantage gained by using stronger metals like steel and titanium. The differences that matter are due to other properties of the materials.
For me, I generally like the weight of stainless steel, bronze, brass, or copper. Stainless steel does not readily oxidize and form a patina, so it is less maintenance to keep it looking new. Bronze, brass and copper feel a bit softer and retain heat better, so they feel less cold and hard on the skin, which can be nice. The colours of bronze and copper appeal to me, especially when polished - brass a bit less so. Steel looks nice too, but it’s the most common and looks less special as a result.
Titanium, aluminum, and plastic are often too light for me, but with some razor designs this lightness can work well. I do have a few titanium, aluminum and plastic razors that feel really nice and nimble without feeling insubstantial or cheap, or bouncing off my stubble. But I have other razors where the light material just makes it feel cheap, like a toy - my Carbon Cx Ti feels like that to me and I don’t like it. Of these three materials I would usually prefer plastic, as aluminum and titanium can sometimes transmit vibration too much and that is detrimental.
Zinc alloy is fine by me, by the way. It’s nice to have a more durable material but there is no reason why a plated zinc alloy razor cannot last for decades if you look after it. Die casting is too expensive to be viable for small volume production, though, but a great solution for good quality mass production.
But it all depends on the razor and I don’t have any rigid requirement for materials. They all have their place and there are razors I like in all of these materials, where the particular material feels right and adds to the experience of the razor.
For me, I generally like the weight of stainless steel, bronze, brass, or copper. Stainless steel does not readily oxidize and form a patina, so it is less maintenance to keep it looking new. Bronze, brass and copper feel a bit softer and retain heat better, so they feel less cold and hard on the skin, which can be nice. The colours of bronze and copper appeal to me, especially when polished - brass a bit less so. Steel looks nice too, but it’s the most common and looks less special as a result.
Titanium, aluminum, and plastic are often too light for me, but with some razor designs this lightness can work well. I do have a few titanium, aluminum and plastic razors that feel really nice and nimble without feeling insubstantial or cheap, or bouncing off my stubble. But I have other razors where the light material just makes it feel cheap, like a toy - my Carbon Cx Ti feels like that to me and I don’t like it. Of these three materials I would usually prefer plastic, as aluminum and titanium can sometimes transmit vibration too much and that is detrimental.
Zinc alloy is fine by me, by the way. It’s nice to have a more durable material but there is no reason why a plated zinc alloy razor cannot last for decades if you look after it. Die casting is too expensive to be viable for small volume production, though, but a great solution for good quality mass production.
But it all depends on the razor and I don’t have any rigid requirement for materials. They all have their place and there are razors I like in all of these materials, where the particular material feels right and adds to the experience of the razor.
Last edited:
Well, it ain't my fault that some manufacturers are making bulky razors that shave really well and are even better in titanium. I would always pick a razor with a slimmer design, but that doesn't mean that I would like how it's going to shave. I really don't see the contradiction here or what's funny about it, but if that's your kink, then by all means, laugh as much as you want.
I am unwilling to pay what is (to me) an unnecessary premium for a titanium razor. I like the look, feel, and weight of stainless steel just fine. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. No judgment from me on those who spend extra on titanium if they like it; I'm just saying that the cost/benefit ratio just isn't there for me (not even close).
I can say from my personal experience that in some cases lighter razors are easier to use. It's clearly because of low skill and more difficulty to keep light touch for newbie's or people with heavy hands. I used some razors in SS and after I purchased exactly same razor in Titanium and always found easier to use lighter version.
There was also thread and video how Blackbird is different (milder) in Ti for many people vs original SS heavier version.
There was also thread and video how Blackbird is different (milder) in Ti for many people vs original SS heavier version.
