Best steel for straight razors? Stainless?

D

Done_Swimmin

Joined
Mar 20, 2014
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3
Hi All
Anyone have experience with different steels?
Is high carbon worth the extra maintenance or will a stainless give good results and avoid the daily oiling?
Peter
 
Carbon steel is more thAn adequate for straight razors. I get about 100 shave s per hone. i do use flax linen and leather to strop. Don't be afraid of.Chinese steel. Gold dollar or zy razors work quite well. I use clippercide spray after drying and stropping.
 
The individual razor will have a greater effect on its shaving than the steel category. Of my straights I think I have two that would be considered a stainless, although they are not really by modern standards. I only have one that has patina like a true carbon steel, and I have six shavers at the moment. Its a spectrum when it comes to vintage straights.
Basically you are making the same compromises that are always made, ease of honing, or edge life. A wipe dry and a post shave strop is really all that's needed in most cases. If you live in a high humidity area you may need to do more, but not likely a lot.
If you are going for new, then proper heat treat, clean grind, and a straight spine are going to matter far more. Blade shape and weight have a greater effect on the shave than the steel does, and so I would focus on those variables first to find out what shaves best for you.
 
Done_Swimmin said:
Hi All
Anyone have experience with different steels?
Is high carbon worth the extra maintenance or will a stainless give good results and avoid the daily oiling?
Peter
Click to expand...
I use camellia oil keeps geisha girls beautiful and samori swords rust free razors too it’s all part of the ritual strop shave oil ps don’t have a SSL’s blade cs are easy to hone and no trouble if you take care of them
 
I use my razor 2-4 times a week. My razor is made out of 1095 which is a carbon steel. I just wash it with soap and cold water and dry it after use. There hasn't been any rust problems. Do note that I sharpen it with a arkansas stone using oil but I do that like every other week or something. Many people think that non stainless steels need tons of maintenance but this is not true. Just make sure it's dry before storing it.

If you get some rust it's nothing that some fine steel wool and WD-40 can't handle.
 
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